World number one Aryna Sabalenka defeats Zheng Qinwen to stay on track for the rare Indian Wells and Miami title double.
WORLD number one Aryna Sabalenka moved into the Miami Open quarter-finals with a straight-sets victory over China’s Zheng Qinwen. The 27-year-old Belarusian won 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 25 minutes on Monday.
Sabalenka is now three wins away from completing the prestigious “Sunshine Double”. She is aiming to win both the WTA Indian Wells and Miami Open titles in the same season.
Only four women have previously achieved this feat. Steffi Graf did it in 1994 and 1996, followed by Kim Clijsters in 2005, Victoria Azarenka in 2016 and Iga Swiatek in 2022.
Sabalenka, who won the Indian Wells title earlier this month, is also defending her Miami crown from last year. She will next face unseeded American Hailey Baptiste for a place in the semi-finals.