Murray moves into fourth round in Miami

Serena, Sharapova seal quarter-finals places.

MIAMI: Reigning US Open champs Andy Murray and Serena Williams stepped up their bids for another title while China’s Li Na halted the giant-killing run of a Spanish teen to advance at the Miami Masters.

Second seed Murray blasted nine aces en route to a 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 victory over disgruntled Grigor Dimitrov to reach the fourth round of the hardcourt tournament.

Murray said he started slowly but soon figured out how to cause problems for his opponent.

“I was leaving the ball a bit short,” he said. “Once I started to improve my depth a bit I made it tough for him and he started to make more mistakes after that.”

Murray will face Italian Andrea Seppi next.

Meanwhle, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga cruised past Jarkko Nieminen 6-3, 6-3.

Li Na sets up last-8 clash against Serena

In the women’s draw, China’s Li set up a quarter-final against world number one Serena with an error-strewn 7-6 (8/6), 6-2 win over teen Garbine Muguruza.



Serena struggled having to come from a set down to win 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 against Slovakia’s 13th seed Dominika Cibulkova.

“I was struggling mentally,” said Serena. “I could not pull myself together. Someone (a fan) kept telling me to relax and I listened to him.”

In another match, third seed Maria Sharapova routed Czech Klara Zakopalova in straight sets 6-2, 6-2.

Sharapova advances to the quarter-finals where she will face eighth-seeded Sara Errani who rallied to beat former world number one Ana Ivanovic 1-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Also, defending champ Agnieszka Radwanska defeated Sloane Stephens 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 to book a quarter final clash with Belgian Kirsten Flipkens.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 27^th, 2013.