Press releases

MINSK, 30 March (BelTA) – Belarus number one Victoria Azarenka advanced to the semifinals of the Miami Open defeating World No.23 Johanna Konta of the UK 6-4, 6-2 on Wednesday, 30 March, BelTA informs.

The match lasted for 96 minutes.

Earlier, the Belarusian proved too strong for World No.67 Monica Puig, 6-2, 6-4, in the second round, took a solid, 6-3, 6-0, victory over Polish world number 110 Magda Linette in the third and saw off No.4 seed Garbine Muguruza of Spain 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-4) to reach the quarterfinal.

Victoria Azarenka will play World No.3 Angelique Kerber of Germany, who beat Madison Keys of the United States (World No.24) 6-3, 6-2. Azarenka is 6-7 lifetime against the German player.

Russia’s World No.19 Svetlana Kuznetsova and Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland (20) will face each other in the second semifinal. Russia’s Kuznetsova knocked world number one Serena Williams of the United States out of contention in the fourth round.

Victoria Azarenka won the Miami Open tournament in 2009 and 2011.

In the men’s doubles event Max Mirnyi and Treat Huey of the Philippines reached the semifinal after defeating John Isner and Nicholas Monroe of the United States 6-1, 7-5.

The Belarusian-Filipino duo will next face Raven Klaasen of South Africa and Rajeev Ram of the United States. The other semifinal pair will feature brothers Bob and Mike Bryan of the United States and Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut of France.

The tournament in Miami will be over on 3 April.