By Jean Malanum
MANILA – Filipino Alexandra Eala bowed out of the WTA 1000 Miami Open following a 6-0, 6-2 loss to world No. 14 Czech Karolina Muchova on Monday.
No. 31 Eala, a semifinalist last year, did her best, but it was not good enough against the former world No. 8, who claimed victory after one hour.
The 5-foot-11 Muchova, who won the WTA 1000 Qatar Open last month, will face the winner between No. 8 Mirra Andreeva and No. 10 Canadian Victoria Mboko.
Andreeva defeated No. 32 Czech Marie Bouzkova, 7-6 (4), 6-2, while Mboko conquered Anastasia Zakharova, 6-1, 7-5.
Meanwhile, top seed Aryna Sabalenka outplayed American Caty McNally, 6-4, 6-3, to forge a fourth-round duel with No. 23 Chinese Qinweng Zheng, who ousted No. 16 American Madison Keys, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.
Third seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan downed No. 27 Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine, 6-3, 6-4, to advance against Talia Gibson of Australia, who stunned No. 18 Iva Jovic of USA, 6-2, 6-2.
Americans Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Amanda Anisimova, and Hailey Baptiste also secured round-of-16 slots.
No. 4 Gauff prevailed over compatriot Alycia Parks, 3-6, 6-0, 6-1; No. 5 Pegula clobbered No. 26 Canadian Leylah Fernandez, 6-2, 6-2; No. 6 Anisimova beat Ukrainian Yulia Starodubtseva, 6-4, 6-2; and unseeded Baptiste shocked No. 9 Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, 6-3, 7-5.
Other winners were No. 12 Swiss Belinda Bencic over Diana Shnaider, 6-3, 6-3; No. 20 Romanian Sorana Cirstea over No. 21 Belgian Elise Mertens, 6-3, 6-2; No. 25 Latvian Jelena Ostapenko over No. 7 Italian Jasmine Paolini, 5-7, 6-2, 7-5; and Romanian Jaqueline Cristian over No. 11 Ekaterina Alexandrova, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (5). (PNA)
