Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic made light work of Britain’s Heather Watson to advance to the round of 16 at the Miami Open.
The 22nd seed kept her title hopes alive as she sealed a 6-4, 6-1 victory.
She will play Belarus’ Aliaksandra Sasnovich next who beat Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu in a fiercely contested three sets; 7-5, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4.
Having won the Olympic title last summer in Tokyo, Bencic began the season with high expectations.
However, the Swiss suffered a second-round exit to American youngster Amanda Anisimova at the opening Grand Slam of the year, in Melbourne.
In Qatar, Danish teenager Clara Tauson, and veteran Estonian, Kaia Kanepi, at Indian Wells beat the former world number four at the first hurdle.
However, Bencic appears to be finally showing some form at last.
Watson, having beaten Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina in the previous round, was clearly no easy match for the Swiss.
And after the match the winner had this to say on her opponent.
“She’s a very tricky player. I haven’t played her in a long time. It’s always difficult because you don’t know how to play her,” Bencic said.
“She played with a lot of control and she tries to take you out of position. It was very hard at the start but I found my flow and I’m happy to be through.”
The Briton may be disappointed not to have won and secure her place back in the top 100, but she can now move onto the clay-court season with renewed optimism.
Elsewhere, American Danielle Collins beat 37-year-old former world number two, Vera Zvonareva 6-1, 6-4.
The Australian Open finalist faces Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur next, who beat Estonian Kanepi 6-3, 6-0 on Stadium Court.
There were a handful of walkovers, as 25-year-old Czech Karolína Muchovápulled out with an abdominal injury, prior to her much-anticipated match with Japan’s Naomi Osaka.
The former world number one faces American Alison Riske next.
Anna Kalinskaya also pulled out, but with an arm injury, allowing Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti to advance. She will play Daria Saville for a place in the quarter-finals, after the Australian also received a walkover, when Czech Kateřina Siniaková defaulted when trailing 6-0, 1-0
