Miami Open: Kostyuk advances to last 16 with audacious match point
Marta Kostyuk defeated Anna Blinkova 6-2, 6-1 on Sunday. She’ll face the winner of the match between Russian Anna Kalinskaya, the No 32 seed, and American Jessica Pegula, the No 4 seed, in the next round
Marta Kostyuk (Julien Nouet / Tennis Majors)
Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, the No 23 seed, beat Russian Anna Blinkova 6-2, 6-1 to advance to the last 16 of the Miami Open at the Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday.
She hit an ace with an underarm serve on match point.
Kostyuk, ranked No 29, will play the winner of the match between Russian Anna Kalinskaya, the No 32 seed, and American Jessica Pegula, the No 4 seed, next.
In the previous round of the Miami tournament, the 22-year-old Ukrainian won against Australian qualifier Kimberly Birrell (7-5, 4-6, 6-3).
Blinkova, ranked No 85, won against Kamilla Rakhimova (4-6, 6-3, 6-2) and No 13 seed Diana Shnaider (6-4, 7-6) in the previous rounds of the Miami tournament.
Miami WTA 1000, other third-round results (Hard Rock Stadium, hard, USD 8.963.700, most recent results first):
- Amanda Anisimova vs. Mirra Andreeva
- Emma Raducanu vs. McCartney Kessler
- Anna Kalinskaya vs. Jessica Pegula
- Madison Keys vs. Alexandra Eala
- Iga Swiatek (2) beat Elise Mertens (27): 7-6 (2), 6-1
- Elina Svitolina (22) beat Karolina Muchova (15): 6-2, 3-6, 6-2
- Paula Badosa (10) beat Clara Tauson (20): 6-3, 7-6 (3)
- Qinwen Zheng (9) beat Taylor Townsend (Q): 6-1, 7-6 (3)
- Danielle Collins (14) beat Rebeka Masarova (Q): 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
- Magda Linette beat Linda Fruhvirtova (Q): 7-5, 6-4
- Coco Gauff (3) beat Maria Sakkari (28): 6-2, 6-4
- Aryna Sabalenka (1) beat Elena-Gabriela Ruse (Q): 6-1, 0-0 ret.
- Naomi Osaka beat Hailey Baptiste (WC): 7-6 (6), 3-6, 6-4
- Ashlyn Krueger beat Leylah Fernandez (26): 6-1, 7-5
- Jasmine Paolini (6) beat Ons Jabeur (31): 4-3 ret.
