Naomi Osaka, Bianca Andreescu, and Simona Halep progress at Miami Open

Michael Graham
Naomi Osaka at Miami Open PA

World number one Naomi Osaka overcame second set frustration to ease into the third round of the Miami Open, where she will be joined by Bianca Andreescu and Simona Halep.

Osaka was dominant early on against qualifier Yanina Wickmayer, and also finished strongly, but lost a tiebreak in the middle.

“It was really hard for me, I think, emotionally in the second set because I just started thinking about winning, not exactly the things I could do in order to win,” Osaka revealed after her 6-0, 6-7 (3-7), 6-1 win.

“So, yeah, I had a bit of a dip. She was also playing really well. I think between the second and third set I tried to breathe and regroup.”

Andreescu, the teen who won Indian Wells last week, also progressed, comfortably dispatching 32nd seed Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-3 to keep her hopes of a Sunshine Double alive.

“I try not to overthink about what happened last week,” Andreescu said, during her post-match press conference.

“I know I just won a really big tournament, now I’m here in Miami.

“The only pressure I think is the pressure I put on myself.

“If I go into every match playing my best, not playing my best but trying my best, because you can’t play your best every match, that’s all that matters to me.”

World number three Simona Halep was also in dominant mood, beating Taylor Townsend 6-1, 6-3.

“I think this was my best match so far,” Halep said. “”I have only good thoughts about this match. It was really good.”

Elsewhere, Elina Svitolina crashed out to Yafan Wang, but Danielle Collins, Karolina Pliskova, Sloane Stephens, and Angelique Kerber all safely progressed.

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