Angelique Kerber given tough examination in Miami Open

27 March 2017 04:24

Top seed Angelique Kerber came through a tough examination against Shelby Rogers to advance to the fourth round of the Miami Open.

The German survived a break in each set to secure a 6-4 7-5 victory to set up a last-16 tie against Japan's Risa Ozaki.

Kerber won five of the last six games to wrap up victory in just under 90 minutes.

"It was a good match," she told reporters after the match. "I was trying to feel my game again. I was moving good, but it was not so easy because she didn't play badly. I was trying to stay positive and play my tennis.

"It's always good to have close sets, especially when you win them at the end because they give you confidence that you can go out in your next match knowing you can win close matches because you've just done it a day ago. I'm looking forward to the next match."

Qualifier Ozaki continued her remarkable run in Miami with a 7-6 (7/5) 6-3 win over Julia Goerges.

"I think she's playing good here, coming from qualies, so she has a lot of matches and confidence. She has nothing to lose, so it'll be another good match," added Kerber.

Third seed Simona Halep marched through in much more dominating fashion following a 6-3 6-0 rout of Anett Kontaveit.

"I think I played my best match of the year," Halep told WTA Insider. "I was confident, and knew what I had to do: push and make her run. I hit some winners, which was very good for me. I was moving well, so I think everything went pretty well for me tonight."

Halep broke the 21-year-old Estonian five times and will meet Sam Stosur in the next round.

Stosur recovered from losing the opening set to secure a 4-6 6-3 7-5 win over China's Shuai Peng.

Venus Williams strolled to a 6-3 6-0 win over Romania's Patricia Maria Tig and will face Svetlana Kuznetsova, who beat American qualifier Taylor Townsend.

Britain's Johanna Konta produced a much-improved performance to ease past Pauline Parmentier with a 6-4 6-0 win and book her place in the fourth round against Lara Arruabarrena of Spain.

Unseeded Aruabarrena knocked out the eighth-seeded American Madison Keys after a 7-5 7-5 win.

Source: PA