Halep, Venus set for Miami Open showdown

Published by Reuters / Tennismash

Venus Williams (L) and Simona Halep will meet for the seventh time when they clash in the last 16 of the Miami Open (Getty Images)
Second seed Simona Halep and three-time champion Venus Williams will meet in a blockbuster fourth-round match at the Miami Open.

Simona Halep fought back from a set down to defeat Slovenian Polona Hercog in a challenging third-round match at the Miami Open.

Hercog, a lucky loser ranked 93rd in the world, pushed the No.2 seed all the way in the second set but the Romanian dominated the tiebreak to turn the match around and eventually triumph 5-7 7-6(1) 6-2.

She will face three-time Miami Open champion Venus Williams in the fourth round after the American beat Russian 14th seed Daria Kasatkina 6-3 6-1.

The two women have split six career meetings, yet Halep has dominated their last three matches, including their most recent encounter in the third round of this year’s Australian Open.

“She always plays flawless tennis against me, so I have to be ready for that,” Williams said of the Romanian.

“Every match is a different match, opportunity to play better and to learn. I know each point will be an opportunity for me to play better and learn. That’s how I look at it. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

Halep v Williams: head-to-head

Year Tournament Surface Round Result Score
2019 Australian Open hard R3 Halep d Williams 62 63
2018 Montreal hard R3 Halep d Williams 62 62
2015 Rome clay R3 Halep d Williams 62 61
2013 Tokyo hard R3 Williams d Halep 46 75 63
2012 Rome clay R1 Williams d Halep 63 64
2012 Madrid hard R1 Williams d Halep 61 46 76(6)

Added Halep: “It’s always tough against Venus. I’m not going to say that it’s going to be easier because I won the last matches against her.

“I will be motivated. I will be ready to play. Hopefully I will be 100 percent tomorrow. Why not, I will believe that I have the chance. Still, I will stay focused.”

NEWS: Osaka and Zverev beaten, Serena injured in Miami

Several seeds exited the tournament on Sunday.

The most notable was fourth seed Sloane Stephens; the defending champion bowed out to Tatjana Maria 6-3 6-2.

The American’s record in 2019 falls to a lukewarm 6-6.

Latvian 11th seed Anastasija Sevastova lost 1-6 6-2 6-3 to Kazakh Yulia Putintseva and 25th-seeded American Danielle Collins went down 7-5 6-1 to China’s Wang Yafan.

Yet fifth seed Karolina Pliskova survived, coming from a set down to defeat Frenchwoman Alize Cornet 6-7(3) 6-1 6-4 – clinching victory with an ace.

Also advancing to the last 16 in Miami was in-form Czech teenager Marketa Vondrousova, who ousted 16th seed Elise Mertens 6-4 7-6(1).

Share this: 
  • Most popular articles

24 May 2016

Preparing your body for clay court tennis

With all eyes on the red clay of Roland Garros, there's plenty that club players can do to... More

1 June 2016

Power playing: Make your muscle matter

Comparing tennis today to the game of the past is like comparing a boxer and fencer. There... More

19 February 2016

Tennis player grunts or porn star groans?

Roberta Vinci appeared on Italian TV and was put to the test - were the grunts she was hea... More

7 November 2016

20 Questions: Andy Murray

Double Wimbledon champion, double Olympic champion and now world No.1. But what doesn't An... More