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MIAMI, FL, USA – No.2 seed Angelique Kerber looked down and out in the third round of the Miami Open as former No.41 Kiki Bertens flew through the opening set, but the German held steady as the Dutch qualifier became visibly unwell, retiring from the contest just as the reigning Australian Open champion began playing her best tennis, 1-6, 6-2, 3-0, ret.

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Despite breaking to start the encounter, the World No.3 struggled throughout the early stages as Bertens powered through the opening set in emphatic style.

“I think Kiki’s a great player,” Kerber told Nick McCarvel during her on-court interview. “She played very well in the first set and I was not finding my rhythm at the beginning.

“But I was trying to stay in the match, trying to fight and play my game. At the end, of course, it’s always sad when the opponent retires; I hope she gets very well very soon, but I’m happy to be in the next round.”

Bertens took a medical timeout early in the second set, suffering from a GI Illness that has caused several players problems through the first few rounds of the tournament. The 24-year-old nonetheless continued to push Kerber before the German broke away with back-to-back service breaks to level the match.

“For me, it’s not so easy,” Kerber admitted when asked about dealing with the knowledge that her opponent is under the weather. “But I’m trying to focus on my game, doing my stuff and not looking too much over the net.

“I think that helps me to stay in my rhythm and keep my focus.”

Up next for Kerber is another big-hitting youngster in Timea Babos; the Hungarian reached her first round of 16 at a Premier Mandatory with a 7-5, 6-0 win over Japanese wildcard Naomi Osaka.

Babos had enjoyed a solid start to the season but had lost back-to-back opening rounds in Monterrey and Indian Wells; a thrilling three-set victory over BNP Paribas Open semifinalist Karolina Pliskova propelled her to an even stronger level against Osaka, who rallied from 5-2 down in the opening set but was ultimately over-awed by her more experienced opponent, who made her WTA Finals debut in Singapore last fall.

“I had such a tough match against Karo Pliskova and it was good to have a day off yesterday and get ready for today’s match,” Babos said after the match. “I knew it would be a tricky one. She’s a big hitter. It was very difficult, especially in the first set. It was really powerful tennis and she was acing me a lot.

“But I guess at key moments, I was playing better, being more solid but aggressive at the same time. In the second set I found my game even more and I’m really happy to finish this way.”

Briefly the ace leader following a strong Australian summer and Middle East swing, Babos, now second behind Naomi Broady, credits a coaching change to Thomas Drouet – who helped Marion Bartoli to the Wimbledon title in 2013 – with her impressive rise in the rankings.

“Since November, I jumped around 40 spots, so it’s been a consistent improvement and I’m really happy. We’ve been working a lot in the two years since I changed coaches. Already, last year I had better results, but it’s also easier to start from the main draw and not be in qualifying all the time.

“I used to have to do a lot just to play big tournaments, where I’d be in main draw for doubles but qualies for singles. So now it also helps that I can be fresher, but now I have more belief and really enjoy playing.”

Babos has never beaten Kerber in three previous meetings, but their lone hardcourt encounter went to three sets back in 2012 – a mere weeks after Kerber herself had reached the final four at Wimbledon. Winning her first WTA main draw matches since the Australian Open, Kerber told the crowd about reuniting with childhood idol Steffi Graf when she practiced with her and husband Andre Agassi during a mid-match training week in Las Vegas.

It was a similar session 52 weeks ago that the former No.2 believes took her to new heights in 2015, culminating with her major title in Melbourne.

“I went there for a few days and practiced a few days there. It’s always an amazing feeling and an honor to be on court with both champions, to play with them and speak witht them. It’s always a great experience for me and I hope here I will play good and that it’ll help me a little bit for the next few tournaments.”

Point of the match!@AngeliqueKerber running ALL over the court!! #WTA https://t.co/m7fKUYPuar

— WTA (@WTA) March 27, 2016

MIAMI, FL, USA – Victoria Azarenka survived a late wobble to defeat No.4 seed Garbiñe Muguruza and keep alive her hopes of becoming the first player in a decade to complete the Indian Wells-Miami double.

Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Miami right here on wtatennis.com!

No one since Kim Clijsters in 2005 has managed to win the two Premier Mandatory events in the same year and Azarenka weathered a barrage of winners from Muguruza to prevail, 7-6(6), 7-6(4), and book a quarterfinal spot.

“I think it was a high-quality match for both of us. It was a lot of good striking, a lot of winners, and both of us taking opportunities,” Azarenka said. “I think today I served really well, and I played to win in important moments. Momentum shifting, I think I was a little better today.”

Azarenka has started the year like a freight train, claiming titles in Brisbane and Indian Wells and winning 19 of 20 matches. Sandwiched between her triumphs in Australia and California was the sole setback, defeat to an inspired Angelique Kerber in the Australian Open quarterfinals.

This disappointment only seems to have fuelled the fire in the Belarusian and in a contest of fine margins and superlative shotmaking against Muguruza it was her game that stood firm at the pivotal moments.

Azarenka, who lifted the Miami Open in 2009 and 2011, produced an ace and a brilliant return to recover from 6-4 down in the first set tie-break and then forged 5-2 ahead in the second. Muguruza, though, went down all guns blazing, drawing level amidst a barrage of winners only to succumb in another tie-break.

In the last eight, Azarenka will face Johanna Konta, a 6-2, 6-2 winner earlier in the day over Monica Niculescu.

A leg injury to Azarenka cut short the only previous meeting between the two in Wuhan last autumn, since when the Briton has established herself at the top of the game.

“We have played in Wuhan last year, but it was difficult to consider that a full match since I didn’t really feel physically well or wasn’t good on the court,” Azarenka said. “But it’s really impressive to see how much she improved over the last couple months. Obviously had some great results; playing with a lot of confidence.

“She has a very solid game; big serve. I’m just looking forward to that challenge.”

Fantastic quality between Azarenka-Muguruza. The stats, as great as they are, don’t even capture it. pic.twitter.com/INJzhMOrMS

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) March 28, 2016

The top half of the draw will be whittled down to two semifinalists after today’s action in Miami. Here’s a breakdown of the matchups.

Tuesday, Quarterfinals

[15] Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS #19) vs. [30] Ekaterina Makarova (RUS #31)
Head-to-head: Kuznetsova leads, 5-1
Key Stat: At 30, Kuznetsova is the oldest player remaining in the draw.
After ending Serena Williams’ 20-match Miami win streak on Monday, Svetlana Kuznetsova’s big task on Tuesday will be to put her feet back on the ground so that she may focus on the next task at hand. It might not be easy, given the character of the Russian’s emotional win over the World No.1. “I have so many people saying congratulations I feel like I won the title already,” joked Kuznetsova after recording her first win over a reigning World No.1 since the 2009 Roland Garros final (d. Safina). When she comes back to earth, Kuznetsova will head into her quarterfinal against compatriot Ekaterina Makarova with confidence to burn. She has won the pair’s last four tilts in straight sets, and is a former Miami Open champion who doesn’t mind the sweltering conditions at Key Biscayne. But Makarova is in good form as well, having knocked off Top 20 opponents in consecutive matches for the first time in over a year to reach her maiden Miami Open quarterfinal.

Pick: Kuznetsova in three

[5] Simona Halep (ROU #5) vs. [19] Timea Bacsinszky (SUI #20)
Head-to-head: Halep leads, 2-0 (1-0 at Tour-level)
Key Stat: Bacsinszky recorded her fourth career Top 5 win (first Top 3) on Monday (4-13 overall).
Two players rounding into peak form will clash in a must-see quarterfinal on Tuesday, and while Simona Halep will come in as the favorite against 26-year-old Timea Bacsinszky, expect the Swiss to come out hungry for a shot of revenge. The last time Bacsinszky attempted to win back-to-back matches against Top 5 opponents she was shut down by Halep in the 2015 Shenzhen Open final, where she only managed four games. On Monday, Bacsinszky reached her first career quarterfinal at Miami with a gritty comeback against Agnieszka Radwanska, impressively wrestling control of the match from the World No.2 after a nervous start. Halep, who has won all six sets she’s played in Miami, should prove to be a tougher matchup for Bacsinszky. Many players struggle to contend with the Swiss’ world-class backhand, but the Romanian is such an exceptional mover, and so steady from both wings, that she should be able to weather the storm in the backhand rallies so that she may exploit the Swiss’ less steady forehand wing.

Pick: Halep in three

-Chris Oddo, wtatennis.com contributor

MIAMI, FL, USA – Victoria Azarenka continued her march towards a third Miami Open title with a straight set win over Johanna Konta in Wednesday’s quarterfinal.

Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Miami right here on wtatennis.com!

In a high-quality encounter, Azarenka withstood some early pressure before raising her game to prevail, 6-4, 6-2.

“She’s such a great player and it’s interesting to see what sort of player she was last year and playing well here, so I see a lot of potential,” Azarenka told ESPN’s Mary Joe Fernandez afterwards. “I couldn’t actually get a read on her serve in the beginning – it was tough for me to adjust – but then I got a bit lower and tried to get more returns in, be a bit more aggressive.”

Playing her first match on Crandon Park’s cavernous Stadium court, Konta started brightly, breezing through her first two service games whilst exerting early pressure with some aggressive returning.

But in the seventh game, Azarenka created an opportunity of her own, punching away a volley to earn her first break points. Konta produced some smart play to reach the safety of deuce only to succumb two points later when she double faulted for the first time.

This lapse proved a costly one, Azarenka’s serve holding firm to close out the set in a fraction under an hour. With Konta’s level dropping, Azarenka began to pile on the pressure, a brilliant stretching forehand return bringing up three break points early in the second set.

Once again, Konta’s serve wilted, a second double fault putting the No.13 seed in the driving seat. She soon stretched this lead to 5-1 and despite some spirited late resistance eventually crossed the finish line to register her 11th straight victory. 

“I think there are adjustments every day; it depends on the opponent you play, the conditions you play – I’ve played some night matches, I played some matches where it was really hot, today it’s really windy – so I think it’s all about adaptation every single day and for me focusing on my recovery because I’ve been playing a lot of tennis!”

After her Indian Wells triumph, the Belarusian remains on course to become just the third player to win Indian Wells and Miami in the same season. However, Azarenka, who lifted Miami titles in 2009 and 2011, refused to get drawn on her chances of becoming first player since Kim Clijsters to complete the feat: “Right now I’m looking forward to the semifinal. If I can make it, it’s great. Right now it seems so close but I want to stay in the present and continue to fight and keep getting better.”

Meeting Azarenka for a place in the final will be the winner of the evening encounter between Madison Keys and No.2 seed Angelique Kerber.

It was a pleasure to share the court with you @vika7 https://t.co/JXkFvNjzJD

— Johanna Konta (@JoKonta91) March 30, 2016

HONG KONG/TIANJIN/LINZ – The Road to Singapore kicks into high gear as three spots remain in the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global. Who will join Angelique Kerber, Serena Williams, Agnieszka Radwanska, Simona Halep, and Karolina Pliskova among the tour’s Elite Eight? Six of the seven women still in Singapore contention battle it out at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open, the Tianjin Open, and the Generali Ladies Linz…

Click here to check out the most updated RTS scenarios.

1) The Road to Singapore leaderboard heats up.
Johanna Konta flipped the script on the RTS leaderboard by reaching the biggest final of her career at the China Open. The result brought the Brit up to No.8 – bumping Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open finalist Dominika Cibulkova down to No.9. Konta is the No.3 seed in Hong Kong, while Cibulkova took a wildcard in Linz; the two begin their weeks against Naomi Broady and Belinda Bencic, respectively. 

2) Kuznetsova shoots for Singapore from Tianjin.
The Russian reached the semifinals of Wuhan – saving a match point to defeat China Open champ Agnieszka Radwanska en route – but will likely need to win the tournament this week and play either Moscow or Luxembourg to remain in contention. Radwanska clinched her return to the WTA Finals last week, and is top seed in Tianjin.

3) Muguruza next in line.
French Open champion Garbiñe Muguruza looked like a lot to secure her place in Singapore earlier in the Asian swing, but tough losses over the last few weeks bring her qualification hopes down to the wire. Top seed in Linz, Muguruza opens against Cagla Buyukakcay, and could play No.3 seed Madison Keys in the semifinals.

4) Keys also aims for WTA Finals debut.
Speaking of Keys, the American has a tough opener against former Linz finalist Camila Giorgi, but has enjoyed a solid swing through Wuhan and Beijing – reaching the semifinals of the latter – and should feel comfortable on Austria’s indoor courts.

5) Call on Carla…
Carla Suárez Navarro narrowly missed out on qualifying for Singapore last year, and heads into the final stretch of the season ranked No.10 on the RTS leaderboard; the Spaniard is seeded No.4 in Linz and opens against Mona Barthel.

6) Pavlyuchenkova out to defend Linz trophy.
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova ended her year on a high, winning nine straight matches to win in Linz and reach the final of the Kremlin Cup. The Wimbledon quarterfinalist recently parted with coach Dieter Kindlmann, and opens against US Open quarterfinalist Anastasija Sevastova as the No.5 seed.

7) Vesnina gets Rogers rematch.
Elena Vesnina came into the French Open having reached the Volvo Car Open final as a qualifier, but fell in the second round to eventual quarterfinalist Shelby Rogers. Seeded No.3 in Tianjin, Vesnina plays Rogers to start the week, and is in Radwanska’s half of the draw.

8) Jankovic on tough title defense.
Jelena Jankovic stunned Singapore hopefuls Venus Williams and Angelique Kerber to win the title in Hong Kong last year, and may well have to replicate the feat this year as the No.7 seed. The former No.1 is projected to play Venus in the quarterfinals and Kerber in the final.

9) Kerber edges closer to clinching Year-End No.1.
Finalist last year in Hong Kong, World No.1 Angelique Kerber is top seed after bowing out in the third round of Beijing to Elina Svitolina, and opens against Maria Sakkari.

10) Find out where you can watch the action from Hong Kong here!