Li sets up Serena duel, Murray also advances
Source: AFP |
March 27, 2013, Wednesday
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REIGNING US Open champions Andy Murray and Serena Williams stepped up their bids for another title while China's Li Na halted the giant-killing run of a Spanish teen to advance at the Sony Open on Monday.
Second seed Murray blasted nine aces en route to a 7-6 (3), 6-3 victory over Grigor Dimitrov to reach the fourth round of the hardcourt tournament in Key Biscayne.
Murray, who won this event four years ago, needed one hour and 54 minutes to oust the 29th-seeded Bulgarian Dimitrov.
Murray said he started slowly but soon figured out how to cause problems for his opponent.
"I was leaving the ball a bit short. Once I started to improve my depth a bit I made it tough for him and he started to make other mistakes after that," Murray said.
Murray, last year's runner-up to Novak Djokovic, would have faced a tougher task had not his 21-year-old opponent lost his composure when serving for the first set at 5-3.
Dimitrov double-faulted three times to allow Murray to break back and the Scot duly prevailed in the tie-break.
Murray, who committed 22 unforced errors to Dimitrov's 38, will face Italian Andrea Seppi in the fourth round, the 16th seed having beaten experienced Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci 7-5, 4-6, 6-2.
In the women's draw, China's Li set up a quarterfinal against world No. 1 Williams with an error-strewn 7-6 (6), 6-2 win over teen Garbine Muguruza, who had upset ninth-seeded Dane Caroline Wozniacki in the third round.
The 31-year-old Li is playing in her first tournament since suffering an ankle injury in January's Australian Open final.
Li - the 2011 French Open champion and two-time Australian Open finalist - made 39 unforced errors, including four double faults, and allowed her 19-year-old opponent to battle back to 5-5 in the first set having led 5-1.
Williams also struggled having to come from a set down to win 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 against Slovakia's 13th seed Dominika Cibulkova.
Williams, who is bidding for a record sixth Miami title, admitted she had not been at her best and at 1-4 down to Cibulkova in the second set and staring defeat in the face she had had to pull herself together.
"I was struggling mentally, I was making so many errors," said Williams, who regained the No. 1 spot in Doha in February but has not played since.
In the night match, third seed Maria Sharapova routed Czech Klara Zakopalova in straight sets 6-2, 6-2.
Second seed Murray blasted nine aces en route to a 7-6 (3), 6-3 victory over Grigor Dimitrov to reach the fourth round of the hardcourt tournament in Key Biscayne.
Murray, who won this event four years ago, needed one hour and 54 minutes to oust the 29th-seeded Bulgarian Dimitrov.
Murray said he started slowly but soon figured out how to cause problems for his opponent.
"I was leaving the ball a bit short. Once I started to improve my depth a bit I made it tough for him and he started to make other mistakes after that," Murray said.
Murray, last year's runner-up to Novak Djokovic, would have faced a tougher task had not his 21-year-old opponent lost his composure when serving for the first set at 5-3.
Dimitrov double-faulted three times to allow Murray to break back and the Scot duly prevailed in the tie-break.
Murray, who committed 22 unforced errors to Dimitrov's 38, will face Italian Andrea Seppi in the fourth round, the 16th seed having beaten experienced Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci 7-5, 4-6, 6-2.
In the women's draw, China's Li set up a quarterfinal against world No. 1 Williams with an error-strewn 7-6 (6), 6-2 win over teen Garbine Muguruza, who had upset ninth-seeded Dane Caroline Wozniacki in the third round.
The 31-year-old Li is playing in her first tournament since suffering an ankle injury in January's Australian Open final.
Li - the 2011 French Open champion and two-time Australian Open finalist - made 39 unforced errors, including four double faults, and allowed her 19-year-old opponent to battle back to 5-5 in the first set having led 5-1.
Williams also struggled having to come from a set down to win 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 against Slovakia's 13th seed Dominika Cibulkova.
Williams, who is bidding for a record sixth Miami title, admitted she had not been at her best and at 1-4 down to Cibulkova in the second set and staring defeat in the face she had had to pull herself together.
"I was struggling mentally, I was making so many errors," said Williams, who regained the No. 1 spot in Doha in February but has not played since.
In the night match, third seed Maria Sharapova routed Czech Klara Zakopalova in straight sets 6-2, 6-2.
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