Halep continues mastery of Venus at Miami Open

No.2 seed Simona Halep sent three-time champion Venus Williams out of the Miami Open on Monday.

Also among the women departing in the fourth round was Indian Wells champion Bianca Andreescu, whose 10-match winning streak came to an end.

Williams fell to Halep 6-3, 6-3, ending a bid for her first title in the event since 2001. Williams, who also won in 1998 and 1999 when it was played on Key Biscayne, was making her 20th appearance in the tournament.

Halep has now won her past four meetings with Williams in straight sets, after losing their first three.

“Since the doubles match (I played with Julia Goerges) I started to feel my serve, better and better, day by day,” Halep revealed.

“I’m more confident, and when I saw today that I can win easy games with my serve, gave me a lot of confidence, because she’s a very good returner. Meant a lot.”

Halep next faces China’s Wang Qiang, who beat countrywoman Wang Yafan 7-5 6-4.

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Andreescu, meanwhile, retired with a right shoulder injury while trailing Anett Kontaveit 6-1, 2-0. Andreescu, who is tied for the WTA lead with 20 match victories this year, said she felt pain and tightness in the shoulder.

“I’ve played so many matches,” the 18-year-old Canadian said. “I guess it’s just my body’s way of telling me it has had enough. The doctor said it’s nothing too serious, but the pain is there.”

Andreescu said she will skip the tournament next week in Charleston, South Carolina, but plans to play the Fed Cup on 20-21 April.

"It's just the way of my body telling me that it's had enough."
"It's been an incredible run… a dream come true."

More from @Bandreescu_—> https://t.co/RGRui2CwYU pic.twitter.com/AB6qNe6YHo

— WTA (@WTA) March 25, 2019

She called a medical timeout after the first set to receive treatment and received similar treatment during her third-round victory over Angelique Kerber, who afterward called Andreescu the “biggest drama queen ever.”

Andreescu defeated Kerber in the Indian Wells final on 17 March for her first career title.

The injury ended Andreescu’s bid to become the fourth woman to win Indian Wells and Miami back to back. “I’m pretty upset,” she said. “But I really can’t complain, with what I’ve achieved.”

Halep and Kontaveit were joined in the quarterfinals by Petra Kvitova, who faced only one break point and beat Caroline Garcia 6-3 6-3.

Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon champion, is ranked a career-high No.2 and will rise to No.1 if she wins the title. Current No.1 Naomi Osaka lost in the third round to Hsieh Su-Wei.

Hsieh continued her giant-killing run at the Miami tournament with a 6-3 6-7(0) 6-2 over former world No.1 and 13th seed Caroline Wozniacki.

in the last 14 months Su Wei Hsieh is 6W – 2L against players currently or former n.1 in the world

since Australian Open 2018:
Muguruza ?
Kerber ?
Karolina Pliskova ?
Halep ? (n.1 during Wimbledon)
Kerber ?
Karolina Pliskova ?
Osaka ? (n.1 during Miami)
Wozniacki ?

— Diego Barbiani (@Diego_Barbiani) March 25, 2019

Kvitova’s match was interrupted by rain for more than 90 minutes, and she took advantage. “I had a quick nap, which was really helpful,” she said.

In the quarters she will face Ash Barty after the Australian beat Kiki Bertens in three sets.

Kvitova is undefeated in four prior meetings with the Australian, including two in 2019 – the Sydney International final and the Australian Open quarterfinals.