TNT Sports
Ons Jabeur crashes out to Varvara Gracheva at Miami Open, Bianca Andreescu sinks Maria Sakkari
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Published 24/03/2023 at 19:41 GMT
Ons Jabeur made two Grand Slam finals in 2022 and finished the year as No. 2 in the rankings behind Iga Swiatek, but she has played just nine matches this season and had minor surgery after the Australian Open which saw her miss the Middle East swing. Her Miami Open campaign came to an abrupt end after losing to Russia's Varvara Gracheva. Meanwhile, Bianca Andreescu beat No. 7 seed Maria Sakkari.
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No. 4 seed Ons Jabeur has crashed out of the Miami Open after a 6-2 6-2 loss to qualifier Varvara Gracheva in the second round in one hour and 11 minutes.
Jabeur, who suffered a second-round exit at Indian Wells last week, has endured an injury-disrupted start to her 2023 season and it got worse on Friday as she fell to defeat to the world No. 54.
In-form Gracheva, who has won 13 of her last 15 matches and reached the ATX Open final earlier this month, will play fellow Russian Erika Andreeva or Poland's Magdalena Frech in the next round.
"The plan was like all matches to be as stable as possible," Gracheva said in her on-court interview afterwards. "I tried to make her work in as many points as possible and waited for a comfortable one-two attack and if that doesn't work try again. Simple as that.
"I've just caught this wave where I'm stable. I have a chance to play aggressive and cause trouble for the opponent. I just try to keep rolling on this way."
Jabeur got off to a slow start on Grandstand, winning just a single point in the opening two games which went the way of Gracheva who sealed the break with a slice at the net.
The Russian continued to handle the pressure points well, recovering from 0-30 down to move into a 4-1 lead with a vicious cross-court backhand winner.
Gracheva dominated from the baseline and sealed the opening set on the Jabeur serve in 33 minutes when the Tunisian crashed a forehand into the net.
Jabeur squandered two break points in the opening game of the second set as Gracheva rattled off four points in a row. Gracheva followed up by breaking in the next game thanks to a Jabeur unforced error.
At 3-0 down, Jabeur called on a trainer as she was feeling unwell and after a lengthy delay decided to play on, but she came back fighting and the crowd roared her on as she sealed an all-important break to make it 3-2.
But Gracheva reasserted her authority by restoring her break advantage in the next game. Jabeur smashed her racquet in frustration and received a warning from the umpire before Gracheva raced to the finish line.
Bianca Andreescu is also through to the third round after a hard-fought 5-7 6-3 6-4 win over world No. 10 Maria Sakkari in three hours and four minutes.
Andreescu knocked out Great Britain's Emma Raducanu in the first round and the Canadian continued her run with her second career win over her Greek opponent.
The Canadian will play USA's Sofia Kenin next after she beat Ukraine's Anhelina Kalinina 6-3 6-4.
"The last time I played her I cramped so I'm super happy I got through physically," Andreescu said in her on-court interview afterwards. "I try to have as much as I can If I'm feeling good physically and mentally it's just a bonus."
Sakkari got off to an aggressive start with her forehand causing Andreescu plenty of problems. It was a blistering forehand down the line that gave Sakkari the opening set.
Andreescu fought back in the second set with Sakkari dipping. Andreescu's tactic of targeting Sakkari's backhand was paying off and forced a deciding set.
The third set began after a ten-minute bathroom break and it was a fired up Andreescu who took an early break to go 3-1 up. On her third match point, Andreescu held her nerve to serve the match out.
Later on Friday No. 5 seed Caroline Garcia faced an early exit in Miami. The Frenchwoman fell to a 6-2 6-3 defeat to world No. 74 Sorana Cirstea.
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Stream the 2023 French Open live on Eurosport and discovery+.
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