Miami Open Update: VCO Players on a Roll

The Volvo Car Open player field is finding success on the courts at the Miami Open. Currently, we have 13 VCO contenders still in the field – Shelby Rogers, Venus Williams, Taylor Townsend (qualifying), Shuai Peng, Samantha Stosur, Johanna Konta, Lara Arruabarrena, Madison Keys, Shuai Zhang, Caroline Wozniacki, Lucie Safarova, Mirjana Lucic-Baroni and Bethanie Mattek-Sands. Check out the full singles Miami Open draw here.

The Highlights

Doubles phenomenon, American Mattek-Sands, received a wild card into the Miami Open singles draw and defeated Katerina Siniakova in the opening round with a close three-setter 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. She then celebrated her birthday by defeating World No. 10 Elina Svitolina with a 7-5, 6-4 victory, her first top 10 win in two years. During the match BMS served an 131 mph ace, which would have tied Sabine Lisicki’s record for fastest recorded serve if not for an on-court interference. Yesterday, Bethanie won again – this time over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova with a Round of 32 upset, 4-6, 6-0, 6-3.

Safarova, her doubles partner, is also finding singles success at the Miami Open with three wins so far. She defeated Volvo Car Open contender Daria Gavrilova 6-2, 6-2 to move into the Round of 32 where she handed a loss to Ajla Tomljanovic, who had just defeated Elena Vesnina, the 2017 Indian Wells champion.

Yesterday saw a big win for 35-year-old Lucic-Baroni. She beat World No. 8 Agnieszka Radwanska for second time this year. The anticipated match left fans shocked when Lucic-Baroni finished off a 6-0 6-3 win in less than an hour.

Volvo Car Open’s hometown favorite, Rogers, defeated Marina Erakovic in the first round of the Miami Open in a nail biting three sets. Rogers moved to the Round of 64 with her 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory. She then defeated VCO hopeful Daria Kasatkina in another intense three-set match, 6-4 ,5-7, 6-0. Next up for Rogers is a battle with World No.1 Angelique Kerber today not before 1pm ET.

Konta already secured her spot in Miami’s Round of 16 today with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Pauline Parmentier.

Also competing today is Townsend and Williams. In addition, there are two full VCO match-ups happening. Stosur vs Peng and Keys vs Arruabarrena.

Great tennis is happening this week at the Miami Open. Be sure to tune in and cheer on all of our Charleston contenders!