Garbine Muguruza Stuns Halep To End Spain’s 22-Year Wait For A Women’s Australian Open Finalist - UBITENNIS
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Garbine Muguruza Stuns Halep To End Spain’s 22-Year Wait For A Women’s Australian Open Finalist

The two-time grand slam champion produced a gutsy display to send the world No.3 packing in Melbourne Park.

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Garbine Muguruza is through to her first grand slam final in almost three years after ousting third seed Simona Halep in a thrilling encounter at the Australian Open.

Muguruza, who is unseeded in Melbourne Park this year for the first time since 2014, overcame some stern resistance from across the court to prevail 7-6(8), 7-5. Sending her into her first grand slam final since Wimbledon 2017 and her first ever on Australian soil. The encounter saw Muguruza hit 39 winners to 44 unforced errors as she saved 10 out of the 13 break point she faced. Extending her winning head-to-head record against Halep to 4-2.

“I was thinking keep going and at some point I will have an opportunity. I knew it would be a hard match facing Simona. So it was just about hanging in there and fighting with all the energy that I had.” Muguruza said during her on-court interview.

Despite being separated by 29 places in the WTA rankings, there was little disparity between the two players throughout a roller-coaster opening set. In what was a battle of the former world No.1s, Muguruza was able to tame Halep’s attacking play with her own powerful shot-making. The Spaniard first struck in the seventh game of the match after a backhand drive volley granted her the first break for a 4-3 lead. In control, Muguruza’s first attempt to close the set out was unsuccessful after a tentative service game enabled a fired up Halep to break back and eventually level at 5-5. It was then Mugurza’s turn to have the pressure as she fended off a duo of set points en route to a tiebreak.

Continuing the trend of momentum changes, both players had their opportunities to clinch the opener during the tiebreak. First, it was the Spaniard who had both a 3-0 advantage and two set points in her favour that she was unable to capitalise on.  Then Halep also had her chances, but failed to convert them. Eventually, it would be Muguruza who would prevail. Leading 9-8, she eventually snatched the first set with the help of a failed cross-court forehand shot from her rival crashing into the net. Much to the annoyance of the Romanian who smash her racket shortly after.

The cat and mouse chase continued into the second frame, but this time it was Halep who initially looked the better of the two. Breaking twice in a row to eventually open up a 4-2 lead before moving to a game away from forcing the match into a decider. However, Muguruza refused to buckle in the blistering Melbourne heat. Staging yet another comeback, she drew level at 5-5 with the help of a Halep shot drifting beyond the baseline. Back in contention, Muguruza then nudged ahead 6-5 before working her way to two match point opportunities. She failed in her first attempt, but victory was secured on her second after another Halep shot failed to go over the net.

“You start (the Australian Open) day-by-day and that what I was doing. Each match at a time.” Said the world No.32.
“I’m very excited to be in the final. It’s a long way to come and I have one more match on Saturday.”

Awaiting the 26-year-old next will be American rising star Sofia Kenin. Who stunned top seed Ash Barty earlier in the day to reach her first ever grand slam final. Muguruza lost to  the world No.14 in three sets (6-0, 2-6, 6-2) last year at the China Open. That was the only previous tour meeting between the two.

“I’ve played Garbine in Beijing. It was a tough match. She’s playing some really good tennis right now. She’s had some great wins. She’s not easy. She’s really aggressive.” Kenin previewed.

Muguruza is just the third Spanish woman to reach the Australian Open final in history and the first since 1998. When her current coach Conchita Martinez lost to Martina Hingis in the title match. Should she win the trophy on Sunday, she would become the first female player from her country to ever do so.

As a result of her run to the final, Muguruza will rise to at least 16th in the world rankings. Her highest position since March.

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Danil Medvedev could meet Jannik Sinner in the semifinal at the Miami Open

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The Miami Open Main Draw ceremony was held on Monday afternoon. 

Danil Medvedev could face Jannik Sinner in the semifinal of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami in a possible re-match of this year’s Australian Open. Both Medvedev and Sinner have been placed in the bottom half of the draw. 

Medvedev is aiming to win the same tournament twice for the first time. The Russian player beat Sinner in the final of last year’s Miami Open. 

Medvedev will start his campaign against either Max Purcell or Marton Fucsovics in the second round. Medvedev could face either Ugo Humbert or Sebastian Baez in a potential fourth round clash. Humbert won two titles in Marseille and Dubai this year. Baez also claimed two trophies in Santiago and Rio de Janeiro this year. 

Medvedev is projected to face either 2022 Miami finalist Casper Ruud or Taylor Fritz in the quarter final. 

Jannik Sinner will take on either Pedro Cachin or a qualifier. The 22-year-old Italian player could face a fourth round match Tommy Paul, who lost to Medvedev in the semifinal of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. 

Sinner is seeded to play against either Hubert Hurkacz or Andrey Rublev. Hurkacz beat Sinner in the Miami Open final in 2021. Stefanos Tsitsipas and Frances Tiafoe are the other players who have been drawn in this quarter. This section of the draw also feature two blockbuster first round matches: Andy Murray vs Matteo Berrettini and Arthur Fils vs Matteo Arnaldi. 

Carlos Alcaraz is aiming to become the first player to complete the “Sunshine Double” since Roger Federer in 2017. Alcaraz beat Sinner in the semifinal and Medvedev in the final at last week’s Indian Wells Masters 1000 tournament. Top seed Alcaraz has been drawn on the opposite side from number 3 Danil Medvedev. 

As both Sinner and Medvedev are in the bottom half and could go head-to-head in the semifinal if they reach this stage, Alcaraz can face only one of those two rivals. 

Alcaraz will face either Alexander Vukic or Roberto Carballes Baena in the second round. The Spaniard could face a blockbuster fourth round match against Ben Shelton, who is the second best US player in the ATP Ranking behind Taylor Fritz. Alcaraz beat Shelton in their only head-to-head match in Toronto last year. Shelton was beaten by Sinner 7-6 6-1 in Indian Wells last week. The US player will face either Los Cabos champion Jordan Thompson or Nino Borges, who beat Matteo Berrettini in the final of the Challenger Tour in Phoenix last week. 

Alcaraz is projected to face a semifinal clash against 2021 Olympic champion Alexander Zverev. 

Zverev, who reached the final in Miami in 2018, will face Felix Auger Aliassime or a qualifier. Zverev’s section of the draw features Holger Rune, two-time Acapulco champion Alex De Minaur, this year’s Doha champion Karen Khachanov, Indian Wells quarter finalist Jiri lehecka, Francisco Cerundolo, who reached the semifinal in 2022 and the quarter final in 2023 in his past two editions of the Miami Open, and unseeded players Kei Nishikori, Lorenzo Sonego and Fabian Maroszan. 

Nishikori, who reached the Miami Open final in 2016, will play his come-back match against Sebastian Ofner. The Japanese player has not played since the Atlanta Open last July due to injury. 

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Nuno Borges beats Matteo Berrettini to win his second consecutive title at the Arizona Classic in Phoenix

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Nuno Borges battled past 2021 Wimbledon champion Matteo Berrettini 7-5 7-6 (7-4) to win his second consecutive title at the Arizona Classic in Phoenix, an ATP Challenger Tour 175 title. 

Borges won 78% of his first serve points in the final and sealed the win on his third match point. 

Berrettini earned an early break to open up a 2-0 lead. Borges broke back at love in the eighth game to draw level to 4-4. Borges saved a break point in the ninth game before breaking serve to 30 in the 12th game to seal the first set 7-5.  

Borges broke serve in the eighth game to take a 5-3 lead in the eighth game with a double fault from Berrettini earning his chance to serve for the match. Berrettini broke straight back for 4-5 and saved a match point in the 11th game. 

Berrettini did not convert two break points in the 11th game. The Italian player saved a match point with a service winner. Berrettini went up a 3-0 lead, but Borges won seven of the next eight points and sealed the win on his third match point, as Berrettini hit his forehand into the net. 

“I could not believe it. I still can’t believe it. It’s an amazing week. I started the week with not the greatest practices. I was not feeling my best. Then I started getting confidence throughout the tournament with the matches and really just impressed myself with how I dealt with all the adversity. One night finishing past midnight. Just stayed really hungry, motivated and pushed myself. I stayed really hungry, motivated and pushed myself. I stayed positive all throughout and all the hard work I put in the week. I am just surprised and happy I am able to celebrate another title here. I am cloud nine”, said Borges. 

Berrettini who was making his come-back following a six-match injury line-off. 

“I thank all fans, who came to support me. It was a crazy week. I did not achieve the result that I would have wanted, but I am happy that I have come back. It was a very tough match. Nuno Borges is playing well. He deserved the win”, said Berrettini. 

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Iga Swiatek is aiming to complete the Sunshine Double for the second time in her career

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The Main Draw of the 2024 Miami Open was unveiled on Sunday. The singles draw features 96 players and the top 32 seeds receive first-round byes. The Miami Open will be held at the Hard Rock Stadium from 19 to 31 March. 

World number 1 Iga Swiatek is aiming to become the second player to complete the Sunshine Double twice after beating Maria Sakkari 6-4 6-0 in the Indian Wells final on Sunday. Swiatek won Indian Wells and Miami back-to-back sweeping the Sunshine Double. Stefanie Graf was the other player, who was able to win the Sunshine Double twice in 1994 and 1996. 

Swiatek won two WTA 1000 titles in Doha and Indian Wells this year and holds a 20-2 record this year. The Polish player won her second Indian Wells trophy without dropping a set in the whole tournament against Danielle Collins in the Round of 64, Linda Noskova in the Round of 32, Yulia Putintseva in the Round of 16, Caroline Wozniacki in the quarter finals, Marta Kostyuk in the semifinal and Maria Sakkari in the final. 

Swiatek will make her debut at the Miami Open against either Magdalena Frech or Camila Giorgi in the second round. The Polish could face Czech rising star Linda Noskova in the third round for the second consecutive Sunshine Double tournament. Noskova beat Swiatek in the third round at the Australian Open. Swiatek avenged his defeat by beating Noskova in Indian Wells. 

Swiatek could meet world number 14 Ekaterina Alexandrova in the fourth round. Alexandrova has been drawn in a tough section which includes Karolina Pliskova, Donna Vekic, Anastasya Pavlyuchenkova and Czech teenager Linda Fruhuvirtova. Pliskova will take on Vekic in the opening round. Pliskova made her successful come-back by winning her first title since 2020 in Cluj Napoca. 

Swiatek is projected to face a potential quarter final match against Jessica Pegula, who won the doubles title with Coco Gauff and reached the semifinal in the singles tournament at last year’s edition of the Miami Open. Pegula started the 2024 season with a win-loss record of 5-3 and is still chasing her first final this year. 

Pegula could meet Leylah Fernandez in the third round and either Jasmine Paolini or Emma Navarro in the fourth round. Paolini won her first WTA 1000 title in Dubai and reached the Round of 16 at last January’s Australian Open. Navarro won in Hobart, reached the semifinals in Auckland and in San Diego and lost to eventual finalist Maria Sakkari in Indian Wells this year.  Navarro will face either Martina Trevisan or a qualifier. 

Coco Gauff leads the second quarter of the draw. The 20-year-old US player will start her campaign against either Ashlyn Krueger or a qualifier and could meet this year’s Indian Wells semifinalist Marta Kostyuk and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the round of 16. Gauff won her first Grand Slam at the 2023 US Open and reached the semifinal at last year’s Australian Open. Gauff lost to eventual finalist Maria Sakkari in the Indian Wells semifinal last week.

Osaka will open her campaign against Elisabetta Cocciaretto, who won the WTA 125 in Charleston last week. The Japanese player could play against 16th seed Elina Svitolina in the second round and Caroline Garcia in the third round. Osaka leads 2-1 in her career head-to-head matches against Garcia and have drawn 1-1 this year. Garcia beat Osaka 6-4 7-6 (7-2) at the 2024 Australian Open, but the Japanese player avenged this defeat by defeating her French rival at the Qatar Open in Doha.

Sixth seed Ons Jabeur and Daria Kasatkina are the top 10 seeds in the second quarter. 

Jabeur could face either Indian Wells Anastasia Potapova or former Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins, and either 10th seed Daria Kasatkina or Sorana Cirstea. 

This section of the draw features a first round match against former Grand Slam champions 2018 Miami Open champion Sloane Stephens and Angelique Kerber. Stephens leads 5-2 in her seven head-to-head matches against Kerber. 

Elena Rybakina leads the line-up in the third quarter. The 2023 Indian Wells champion was not able to defend her title last week due to illness. The Kazah player will face either Caroline Dolehide or a qualifier in the first round. The 2022 Wimbledon champion could meet Elise Mertens in the third round and Veronika Kudemertova or Madison Keys in the round of 16. Wild card Venus Williams, who won the Miami Open for the first time in 1998, will take on this year’s Thailand Open champion and last week’s Charleston finalist Diana Schnaider in the first round. The winner of this match will face Keys in the second round.  

Maria Sakkari from Greece has been drawn at the other end of this quarter. Sakkari, who lost the Indian Wells final against Swiatek last Sunday, will face Yue Yuan (winner at the Atlanta Open and Indian Wells quarter finalist) or Anna Blinkova, who won the longest tie-break in a Grand Slam tournament against Rybakina at last January’s Australian Open. Sakkari is projected to face this year’s Australian Open semifinalist Dayana Yastremska in the third round and this year’s Dubai WTA 1000 finalist Anna Kalinskaya. 

Emma Raducanu, who won the US Open title in 2021, will take on China’s Xiyu Wang in the first round. The winner of this match will face Kalinskaya. 

Number 2 seed and two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka will face the winner of the first round match between former number 2 Paula Badosa (winner at Indian Wells in 2021) and former world number 1 Simona Halep, who is playing her first tournament since the 2022 US Open. Halep leads 2-0 in her head-to-head matches against Badosa and never dropped more than three games in a set. 

If Sabalenka beats the winner of the match between Halep and Badosa, she could face Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina. The Ukrainian player could meet either Caroline Wozniaki or France’s Clara Burel. 

Sabalenka is projected to face a fourth round match between either Liudmila Samsonova or Barbora Krejcikova and Qinwen Zheng in the quarter final, which could be a re-match of this year’s Australian Open. Zheng could face former world 1 Victoria Azarenka in the third round and Beatriz Haddad Maia and Katie Boulter in the round of 16. 

Petra Kvitova, who beat Rybakina in last year’s final of the Miami Open, will miss this year’s decision because she in a maternity leave. 

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