Grieving since the announcement of the death of Konstantin Koltsov, her former companion, a Belarusian international hockey player, Aryna Sabalenka, world number 2, nevertheless insisted on playing the WTA 1000 tournament in Miami. For her entry into the competition disrupted by rain, several hours late, and a swirling and annoying wind, the Belarusian (25 years old), dressed in black, was opposed to Paula Badosa, her best friend on the circuit, winner in the previous round of Simona Halep.
Sabalenka managed to put all that aside to deliver a very solid game, with a victory in two sets (6-4, 6-3). As usual, she relied on a huge first ball (7 points lost, only one break point conceded on her serve), and on a violent, and often winning, forehand. 80th player in the world and physically hampered, Badosa, who presents the same tennis characteristics, could not resist the pace imposed by the winner of the Australian Open. In the previous round, the Belarusian will face the Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina who defeated Caroline Wozniacki in three sets (5-7, 7-5, 6-4).
