Day Four schedule in the Miami Open - round two matches in the ATP draw and round three matches in the WTA draw.
Miami Open presented by Itaú - a WTA Premier Mandatory category tournament, on Hard Laykold, in Miami, Florida, USA, 20-31 March 2019.
Defending champion:
Sloane Stephens (13) who defeated Jelena Ostapenko (6) 7-6(5) 6-1
WTA third round
- Petra Kvitová v Donna Vekic (26)
Before start of the third round, Kvitová was one of four women who mathematically could take the number one ranking after the tournament. Donna Vekic, who had risen to a career high of #25, had played Kvitová twice prior to this match - once way back in 2014 in Miami Open. Kvitová prevailed there, but of more relevance was the pairs meeting earlier this year in St Petersburg, Vekic winning that quarter final.
Kvitová served first, and three loose shots followed an opening forehand winner. Another one confirmed a service break. Vekic wasted two game points, served two double faults, and Kvitová used the second of two break points to level at 1-1.
Kvitová quickly consolidated the break to lead 2-1, forehand winners to start and end the game.
Then three lengthy games - Vekic saved six break points to make it 2-2. Kvitová saved five break points to lead 3-2. Finally, Vekic saved three more to reach 3-3.
A love game and Kvitová led 4-3.
The players exchanged service breaks which left Vekic at the line 4-5, needing to hold to stay in the set.
Kvitová broke to love, three forehand winners included, one to clinch the set 6-4
Vekic rebounded, breaking Kvitová to love in the opening game of set two, then saving two break points to lead 2-0.
A further drop of the Czech delivery drove the momentum even further for Vekic, who was punishing the Kvitová second serve, but things stalled somewhat in game four.
More aggression assisted the third seed to retrieve one of the breaks.
The next four games were with serve, and Kvitová at 3-5 was under pressure.
Following a Vekic backhand pass and Kvitová double fault there was recovery to 30-30, but only temporary. A Czech forehand sailed long and set point appeared. It disappeared with a quality serve. Addressing a second set point, a clean winner did the trick. Vekic hit a forehand winner to create a third set point, and a backhand sizzler, the sets were level. 6-3 Vekic.
After nine breaks of serve in sets one and two, it was no real surprise to see the opening game of the decider go against Vekic when at the line.
Two unforced errors and two Kvitová winners put the Czech star ahead.
While no further breaks occurred in the following eight games, both players were taken to deuce twice, and Kvitová had to save a break point in the fourth game.
All up, Kvitová was serving for the match at 5-4.
Aggressive, pinpoint tennis brought Kvitová to three match points, 40-0 reached thanks to a backhand cross court winner. Vekic saved one with a down the line forehand, but she failed with the next forehand and Petra Kvitová won a terrific match 6-4 3-6 6-4.
- Caroline Garcia (19) defeated Julia Goerges (15) 6-0 7-5
- Ash Barty (12) defeated Samantha Stosur 6-0 6-3
- Su-Wei Hsieh (27) defeated Naomi Osaka (1) 4-6 7-6(4) 6-3
- Caroline Wozniacki (13) defeated qualifier Monica Niculescu 6-4 7-6(4)
- Kiki Bertens (7) defeated Viktoria Kuzmova 3-6 6-0 6-1
- Anett Kontaveit (21) defeated Ajla Tomljanovic 7-6(3) 2-6 7-6(4)
- Bianca Andreescu defeated Angie Kerber (8) 6-4 4-6 6-1
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