Alexandrova creates a stir by defeating No. 1 Swiatek

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Florida. Ekaterina Alexandrova dealt a blow to World No. 1 Iga Swiatek’s hopes of becoming the second player to win the Sunshine Double by defeating World No. 1 Iga Swiatek 6-4, 6-2 in the Miami Open round of 16.

The win marked Alexandrova’s first career victory over the current world No. 1. This victory also took her to the quarterfinals of the third WTA 1000 tournament.

Alexandrova, a quarterfinalist in Miami last year, will face No. 5 Jessica Pegula on Wednesday.

Swiatek came back from a set down to defeat 26th seed Linda Noskova 24 hours earlier, but she struggled to regain the lead on Monday. Swiatek was broken three times in the match.

Meanwhile, No. 23 seed Caroline Garcia of France defeated No. 3 seed and local hope Coco Gauff 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 to reach the Miami Open quarterfinals for the first time in her career.

According to the WTA, Monday’s win is Garcia’s first win over a top 10 player since the end of 2022, when she recorded four top 10 wins (including a round-robin win over Gauff) en route to the title at the 2022 WTA Finals.

Garcia had defeated four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka for the second time this year in the previous round before ousting reigning US Open champion Gauff.

Next up for Garcia is a fight with Danielle Collins, whom she has never defeated.

Collins, the 2022 Australian Open runner-up, reached the third Miami Open quarterfinal of her career by defeating Romania’s Sorana Cristea 6-3, 6-2.

In other women’s singles competition, two-time Miami Open semifinalist Jessica Pegula returned to the quarterfinals at Hard Rock Stadium with a 7-6(1), 6-3 win over fellow American Emma Navarro in Monday night’s fourth round.

Pegula is the first American to reach three consecutive quarterfinals in Miami since Serena Williams (2012–15).

–IANS

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