THE Round of 64 at the 2021 Miami Open has already produced some excellent efforts and intriguing results as the top seeds enter the main draw, with Ash Barty and Aryna Sabalenka amongst the seeds who were challenged on their opening day.

In a mostly successful day for seeds, just one fell despite hard challenges against the aforementioned top five competitors. It was Madison Keys who was disposed of by Croatian Ana Konjuh, who in the process of completing the 6-4 6-2 clean sweep of the 18th seed, also posted her first top 20 win in four years. It took the 23-year-old and former world number 20 – who now ranks 338th in the world – just one hour and 12 minutes to down the American, cleanly and efficiently outclassing Keys in her first back-to-back win since 2017 following four elbow surgeries.

Barty was forced to overcome a comeback from the Slovak Republic’s Kristina Kucova, taking out the first set but appearing to take the foot off the accelerator as the match went on, dropping the second set 4-6 before Kucova looked to serve for the match at 5-3 in the third. But Barty rallied from there, saving a match point before winning the last five games of the match to run out victor, 6-3 4-6 7-5. Regardless of her shakiness, Barty still registered a solid 78.7 per cent win rate off her first serve credit to a whopping 15 aces on her way to victory, despite only serving off a 50.5 per cent clip. As for Sabalenka, it was her compatriot in Tsvetana Pironkova who provided a real challenge, with her opposition firing from the get-go with a 6-0 start against the seventh seed. But Sabalenka fired from there, still not appearing to be at her best but proving her winning experience was crucial in this encounter to reign supreme 0-6 6-3 7-6(9). The higher ranked Belarusian hit six aces for 11 double faults in an uncharacteristically messy outing, which saw Pironkova intriguingly lead majority of the overall stats but still fall in a huge 7-6(9) final set tiebreaker. The third big test was played out between Elina Svitolina and Shelby Rogers, with the former marginally reigning supreme in the 3-6 7-5 6-3 two hour and 29 minute encounter. While Svitolina lacked consistency in windy conditions and was forced to take a medical timeout for a wrist injury, she clawed her way back with a huge second set to steal momentum and eventual victory.

Angelique Kerber appeared to be back to her best in the quickest match of the day, disposing of Renata Zarazua in just 61 minutes, completing a 6-0 6-0 sweep as Ekaterina Alexandrova, Belinda Bencic, Iga Swiatek and Veronika Kudermetova all followed suit in 70-80 minute respective wins. Also amongst the winners circle on Day 3 at Miami were 17th seed Johanna Konta and unseeded Jelena Ostapenko, whilst three matches are yet to be complete at time of publish.

MIAMI OPEN ROUND OF 64 RESULTS:

[1] Ash Barty (AUS) defeated Kristina Kucova (SLO) 6-3 4-6 7-6
[5] Elina Svitolina (UKR) defeated Shelby Rogers (USA) 3-6 7-5 6-3
[7] Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) defeated Tsvetana Pironkova (BLR) 0-6 6-3 7-6
[11] Belinda Bencic (SUI) defeated Zarina Diyas (KAZ) 6-2 6-1
[16] Iga Swiatek (POL) defeated Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) 6-4 6-2
[17] Johanna Konta (GBR) defeated Magda Linette (POL) 6-4 7-5
Ana Konjuh (CRO) defeated [18] Madison Keys (USA) 6-4 6-2
[19] Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) defeated Wang Qiang (CHN) 6-4 6-4
[24] Angelique Kerber (GER) defeated Renata Zarazua (MEX) 6-0 6-0
[30] Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS) defeated Nadia Podoroska (ARG) 6-0 6-4
[32] Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) defeated Danielle Collins (USA) 6-3 6-2
Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) defeated Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) 6-2 5-7 6-3

[3] Simona Halep (ROM) v. Caroline Garcia (FRA)
[9] Petra Kvitova (CZE) v. Alize Cornet (FRA)
Anastasia Sevastova (LAT) v. [31] Coco Gauff (USA)