MINSK, 31 March (BelTA) – Belarus' world number 8 Aryna Sabalenka lost to world number one Ashleigh Barty of Australia 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 3-6 in the 2021 Miami Open quarterfinal, BelTA has learned.
The match lasted for two hours and 25 minutes. In the semifinal Ashleigh Barty will play either Ukraine's world number 5 Elina Svitolina or Latvia's world number 57 Anastasija Sevastova.
On her way to the quarterfinal Aryna Sabalenka beat Bulgaria's world number 131 Tsvetana Pironkova 0-6, 6-3, 7-6 (11-9), Russia's world number 37 Veronika Kudermetova 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 and world number 20 Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic, 6-1, 6-2.
Three-time Miami Open champion Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, currently ranked 15 in the world, defeated Germany's world number 26 Angelique Kerber 7-5, 6-2 and lost to Ashleigh Barty of Australia, 1-6, 6-1, 2-6.
In the round of Last 32 of the women's doubles event Aryna Sabalenka and Belgium's Elise Mertens lost to the Romanian-German tandem of Simona Halep and Angelique Kerber 5-7, 5-7. Aryna Sabalenka and Elise Mertens won the event in 2019.
The tournament in Miami will end on 3 April.