MIAMI, FL – Linda Fruhvirtová will compete in the main draw of the 2026 Miami Open after a convincing victory over Varvara Lepchenko in the final round of qualifying on Tuesday. The 20-year-aged Czech defeated the experienced American 6-3, 6-2. Meanwhile, Nikola Bartůňková’s run ended in disappointment, falling to Viktorija Golubic in a three-set battle despite twice holding a break advantage in the deciding set.
Fruhvirtová entered the match against Lepchenko knowing she had recently dispatched her opponent in straight sets in the qualifying semifinals at Indian Wells. The familiarity appeared to benefit the younger player, as she quickly established control.
The opening games featured extended rallies from the baseline. A pivotal moment arrived with the score at 3-2 in Fruhvirtová’s favor. On Lepchenko’s serve, Fruhvirtová created two break point opportunities and converted the second, taking a 4-2 lead. From there, she maintained her advantage, securing the first set 6-3 after 40 minutes of play.
Fruhvirtová started the second set strongly, capitalizing on a struggling Lepchenko. She broke serve twice in quick succession and established a commanding 4-0 lead, demonstrating her dominance on serve.
The longest game of the match unfolded in the sixth game of the second set. Lepchenko fought valiantly, earning five break point chances, eventually converting one to reduce the deficit to 2-4. However, her resurgence was short-lived, as Fruhvirtová immediately regained control, breaking back to extend her lead. She closed out the match after 1 hour and 23 minutes, securing her place in the main draw.
The Miami Open holds fond memories for Fruhvirtová. In 2022, she reached the round of 16 as a 16-year-old, notably defeating Victoria Azarenka. Last year, she progressed to the third round through qualifying, despite being ranked 215th in the world.
Bartůňková’s match against Golubic proved to be a much tighter affair. The initial games were evenly contested, with Bartůňková facing three break points in the fourth game of the first set. She successfully navigated the pressure, holding serve with aggressive play.
Golubic, however, gradually gained the upper hand, breaking Bartůňková’s serve at 3-2 and consolidating the break to take a 6-3 first set victory after 44 minutes.
The second set saw Bartůňková raise her level. She faced break points early in the set but managed to hold serve. She then broke Golubic twice, securing the set 6-3 and forcing a deciding third set.
Bartůňková continued her momentum into the third set, breaking Golubic’s serve in the third game. However, she was unable to maintain the advantage, dropping her own serve immediately afterward. At 4-5, Bartůňková received medical attention for her right arm before holding serve to level the set.
The match ultimately went to a tiebreak, where Bartůňková initially gained a minibreak and extended her lead with a powerful forehand. However, two double faults proved costly, and she lost five consecutive points. Despite a late attempt to recover, she was unable to overcome the deficit, losing the tiebreak 7-6(5) and the match.
The Miami Open, a Masters 1000 event, is currently led by defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, who is seeded first in the draw. The tournament features a 96-player draw with 32 seeded players, all receiving a bye into the second round. [1]
Fruhvirtová’s successful qualifying run sets the stage for an exciting main draw campaign. She will be looking to build on her previous successes in Miami and make a deep run in the tournament. Bartůňková, despite the disappointing result, will undoubtedly look to learn from this experience and continue her development on the WTA Tour.
The main draw of the 2026 Miami Open begins on Wednesday, March 18th. Fans can follow the action and uncover the full schedule on the official WTA Tour website.
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