UNSEEDED Pole, Magda Linette is the last player outside the top 30 standing after the Round of 32 was completed today. Linette was the sole unseeded player to advance through to the next round following an upset win over Belinda Bencic, 6-2 6-3. The big win was a huge one for her career, and she becomes the lowest ranked player in the draw after qualifier, Anastasia Potapova was knocked out, as was unseeded Frenchwoman, Kristina Mladenovic.

Potapova had done well to reach the third round, but ran into a red-hot Garbine Muguruza, while Mladenovic fell in straight sets to an impressive Karolina Muchova. The 23rd seed Czech proved too much for the French talent, winning 6-1 6-3 in an hour and 12 minutes. Muguruza moved through without too much of a hitch, breaking four times to win 6-3 6-3. Now the Spaniard takes on world number one Ash Barty in the Round of 16, a match she won back at Indian Wells.

The Australian looked strong in the second set after an early challenge from 31st seed, Yulia Putintseva before Barty got up 7-5 6-1. Also through in the top quarter of the draw was 21st seed Estonian, Anett Kontaveit who built on her strong 2020 form to knock off 14th seed, Petra Martic 6-4 6-3. Kontaveit now takes on Linette for a spot in the quarter finals.

In the second quarter of the draw, the other top 10 seeds breezed through to the last 16 with third seed and Australian Open champion, Sofia Kenin winning 6-0 6-2 against 32nd seed Chinese talent, Shuai Zhang. Eyeing off a potential quarter finals clash with Kenin is multiple Grand Slam winner, Serena Williams who defeated compatriot, Amanda Anisimova 6-3 6-2 in 86 minutes.

In the final match of the day, 17th seed Maria Sakkari won in a thriller against 15th seed Elena Rybakina. The Greek up-and-comer downed the Kazakhstani young gun 6-4 7-6 in a match that lasted almost two hours.

Four games take place tomorrow as the Round of 16 kicks off. Up first is fourth seed Dutchwoman, Kiki Bertens up against 19th seed Belgian, Elise Mertens, followed by a top 10 clash between Naomi Osaka and Aryna Sabalenka. At night, 24th seed Russian, Ekaterina Alexandrova meets 26th seed, China’s Qiang Wang, while second seed Karolina Pliskova takes on young gun, Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska.

ROUND OF 32 RESULTS:

[1] Ash Barty (AUS) defeated [31] Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) 7-5 6-1
[3] Sofia Kenin (USA) defeated [32] Shuai Zhang (CHN) 6-0 6-2
[6] Serena Williams (USA) defeated [25] Amanda Anisimova (USA) 6-3 6-2
Magda Linette (POL) defeated [8] Belinda Bencic (SUI) 6-2 6-3
[10] Garbine Muguruza (ESP) defeated [Q] Anastasia Potapova (RUS) 6-3 6-3
[21] Anett Kontaveit (EST) defeated [14] Petra Martic (CRO) 6-4 6-3
[17] Maria Sakkari (GRE) defeated [15] Elena Rybakina (KAZ) 6-4 7-6
[23] Karolina Muchova (CZE) defeated Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 6-1 6-3