Venus fights through but Puig stuns Wozniacki in Miami

It took a far bigger battle than the straight-sets scoreline suggested, but Venus Williams reached the third round of the Miami Open for the 18^th time with victory over Russia’s Natalia Vikhylantseva.

The American veteran trailed 2-5 in the opening set and 0-3 in the second before securing a 7-5 6-4 victory over the 88^th-ranked 21-year-old in just over two hours.

“Thankfully, I was able to find a way to win this match,” said the relieved No.8 seed, who next faces Kiki Bertens.

“At the end, you try to win the last point and walk towards the net as the winner of the last point. I think that’s what I worked towards, and got there.”

The three-time Miami champion – who won consecutive titles in 1998 and 1999, as well as the 2001 title – was a semifinalist in her top-10 return last season. Her win over Vikhylantseva marked her 62nd match win in Miami.

“I have so many great memories,” Venus said ahead of the tournament. “I’ve played so many times … it will always go down in history.”

Puig stuns Wozniacki

Monica Puig shrugged off an opening set bagel to rally for a 0-6 6-4 6-4 victory over world No.2 Caroline Wozniacki in the second round of the Miami Open on Friday.

Australian Open champion Wozniacki breezed through the opener in just 25 minutes before world number 82 Puig started the comeback.

Puig broke Wozniacki’s serve in the second set to take a 4-2 lead and closed it out to even the match, and the 24-year-old Puerto Rican then earned an early break in the decisive set to go ahead 2-0 and held on for the victory.

“Honestly, this felt like Rio all over again,”said Puig, who upset Angelique Kerber to win the gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. “I’ve lived in Miami for so long, but my heart always belongs to Puerto Rico, so I really appreciate all the support.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment and finally to start finding myself again, and I just really appreciate all the support. It was incredible.”

Svitolina stops Osaka

Fourth seed Elina Svitolina next faces Australian Daria Gavrilova in the Miami Open after ending the eight-match winning streak of Japan’s Naomi Osaka in the second round.

Osaka ran out of puff on Friday after a half a month of top tennis on North American hardcourts as she went down 6-4 6-2 to the Ukranian in one hour and 22 minutes, with four dropped serves.

Osaka later said she hadn’t been feeling well, “like I need to throw up”.

Osaka has risen into the elite title challengers after her remarkable run to the Indian Wells trophy at the weekend, during which she beat No.5 Karolina Pliskova and surprised world No.1 Simona Halep.

Now ranked 22nd, she began in Miami by putting out icon Serena Williams in the first round before being stopped by Svitolina, who now leads their series 3-2.

Svitolina showed her intentions early as she broke for 2-1, only to lose it a game later.

However, the Ukrainian went back up 3-2 on an Osaka backhand error and won the opener on a service winner.

Svitolina raced to 4-0 in the second as the fire drifted from Osaka, and to the Miami third round for a fourth time on third match point.

Svitolina faces 26th seed Gavrilova on Monday AEDT after the Australian beat German qualifier Andrea Petkovic 7-6 6-4.

Fellow Aussie Ash Barty beat American Claire Liu 6-0, 7-6 (7-0).

Ninth seed Petra Kvitova defeated 19-year-old Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka 7-5 3-6 6-3, with the loser forced to save six break points.