Jabeur, Sakkari crash out in Miami, Sabelenka advances

26 March, 2023

MIAMI         -       Fourth seed Ons Jabeur crashed out of the Miami Open, losing her opening match to Russian qualifier Varvara Gracheva 6-2, 6-2. In another surprise, Canadian Bianca Andreescu, the former US Open winner now ranked 31st, overcame seventh seed Maria Sakkari of Greece 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, in a gruelling three-hour, threeminute battle in the early afternoon South Florida sun. Romania´s Sorana Cirstea upset world number four Caroline Garcia 6-2, 6-3 in a repeat of her Indian Wells win over the Frenchwoman last week.

But world number two Aryna Sabalenka got past American Shelby Rogers 6-4, 6-3, despite being hampered by what appeared to be a groin injury. Tunisian Jabeur, beaten finalist at Wimbledon and the US Open last year, has been working her way back from injury and on her return earlier this month went out in the third round at Indian Wells. Jabeur underwent surgery after suffering a knee injury at the Australian Open, and subsequently missed the WTA Tour´s Middle East swing.

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