Sakkari romps into Miami third round, Wozniacki loses in thriller

Maria Sakkari, of Greece, returns a ball from Yue Yuan, of China, in their women's second round match at the Miami Open tennis tournament, on March 21, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. [Rebecca Blackwell/AP]

Maria Sakkari was back to winning ways just days after losing the Indian Wells final as she demolished China's Yuan Yue 6-2 6-2 on Thursday to ease into the third round of the Miami Open.

While it was smooth passage for Sakkari it was rough going for Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina, the fourth seed having to dig deep to see off determined Danish qualifier Clara Tauson 3-6 7-5 6-4 in a near empty Hard Rock stadium.

After splitting the opening two sets in a ragged back-and-forth contest, 2022 Wimbledon champion Rybakina finally seized control with a break to nose in front 3-2 in the third and would never let go of the lead.

Sakkari, putting the 6-4 6-0 California drubbing at the hands of world number one Iga Swiatek in Sunday's final in the rearview mirror, was all business after having failed at the first hurdle in her last two visits to Miami.

Having...

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