Aryna Sabalenka and Bianca Andreescu cruise into Miami Open fourth round

World No 2 and former US Open champion secure straight-set wins at Hard Rock Stadium

Aryna Sabalenka during her Miami Open victory over Marie Bouzkova on March 26, 2023. AP

World No 2 Aryna Sabalenka blitzed her way into the fourth round of the Miami Open following her 6-1, 6-2 demolition job over Marie Bouzkova at the Hard Rock Stadium.

Sabalenka's power was simply too much for the Czech, whose serve was broken twice in the opening set. Bouzkova when was then broken in the opening game of the second set and Sabalenka looked in no danger, not facing break point at any point in the 66 minute encounter.

Ths second seed had been hampered by a groin injury in her previous match against Shelby Rogers but while admitting the problem was not resolved, it had improved.

“We are working on that. I would say I have the best team and I really trust them and believe that they can fix it. It definitely felt much better,” she said.

“My team did everything to make sure that I am not focusing on the leg and I am focusing on the match.”

The Belarusian will next face another of this season’s in-form players, Barbora Krejcikova, who was a 7-6, 6-3 winner over American Madison Keys.

This will be the third consecutive tournament where Sabalenka and Krejcikova have played each other, with the Czech winning in Dubai before Sabalenka gained revenge in Indian Wells.

“I think if you give her some time she can put the ball wherever she wants to,” Sabalenka said. “It's tough. So you have to put a lot of pressure on her.

“You have to be really aggressive on court and not give her too much time and make her really work for it. She's a great player and it's always tough battles against her.”

Canada's Bianca Andreescu harnessed her mighty serve to topple Sofia Kenin, sending over seven aces as the 2020 Australian Open winner failed to mount much of a defence after an early exit from Indian Wells.

Andreescu, who returned last year after a seven month break, looks a player reborn and she oozed confidence on way to a 6-4, 6-4 victory over the American.

The 22-year-old 2019 US Open winner has been impressive so far, having beaten Emma Raducanu and world No 10 Maria Sakkari in the previous rounds.

“She hits the ball very flat, and when she's on, she's on,” said Andreescu. “I felt she was serving very well; I was serving well, as well. But my serve in the key moments and some of my returns were the things that got me through today.”

Andreescu will now take on Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia, who defeated No 9 seed Belinda Bencic 7-6, 6-3.

Petra Kvitova defeated Donna Vekic 6-4, 7-6 while Marketa Vondrousova upset her fellow Czech Karolina Pliskova 6-1, 6-2.