Defending Indian Wells Open champion Bianca Andreescu will begin her campaign at the WTA Miami Open 2019 against the same opponent she faced in her opener at Indian Wells. That and much more in our WTA Miami Open 2019 draw update and review.
Canada’s Andreescu who has climbed up to the world number 24 right now, but isn’t seeded for the competition since the seedings were released before her glorious run at the Indian Wells Open, will take on Irina-Camelia Begu in her first round match. Coincidentally, it was the same opponent she had defeated last week to kick-start that brilliant run through to the title.
If she wins that match, she will take on the 32nd seeded Sofia Kenin in the second round, before a possible match-up against the woman she beat in the final of the Indian Wells Open, Angelique Kerber in the third round.
In some of the other first round matches, Maria Sakkari takes on wild-card entrant Olga Danilovic, while Alexsandra Krunic will be up against Sara Sorribes Tormo.
However, what could be the biggest opening round match is between Victoria Azarenka and Dominika Cibulkova, two former Australian Open finalists. Azarenka has obviously won that competition twice as well. The winner of this match plays Caroline Garcia in round two.
Dayana Yastremska will face up to the challenge of Ekaterina Alexandrova, Samantha Stosur takes on Evgeniya Rodina, while Alize Cornet plays Vera Lapko in first round action.
Naomi Osaka’s sister, Mari, who has been afforded a wild-card as well, will start off her campaign against fellow wild-card and American Whitney Osuigwe.
British player Johanna Konta and former champion Venus Williams will be up against qualifiers in their respective round one matches.
Top seeded Osaka will take on a qualifier in her second round match, while second seeded Simona Halep could be up against Johanna Larsson in her first match at the Miami Open. Petra Kvitova, seeded third in the competition, will face the winner of the match between Sakkari and Danilovic, while the fourth seeded Sloane Stephens takes on either Ons Jabeur or Alison van Utyvanck in her second round match.
Osaka’s first real challenge could come in the fourth round when she faces either Garbine Muguruza – who showed some signs of form at the Indian Wells Open – or Caroline Wozniacki. Muguruza could face Wozniacki in round three if the draw goes to plan.
If Osaka comes through, she could face either Kerber or Sabalenka – or Andreescu – in her quarter-final match.
Kvitova might not have too many problems getting better of her initial opponents including a possible 15th seeded Julia Goerges in the fourth round while her quarter-final match-up could be against the likes of Ash Barty, Kiki Bertens or Madison Keys.
In the other half of the draw, fifth seeded Karolina Pliskova’s first match will be against either Zhang Shuai or Petra Martic, before a potential match-up against Belinda Bencic in the fourth round. Her potential quarter-final opponent will be fourth seeded Stephens.
On the other hand, sixth seeded Elina Svitolina could have either Wang Yafan or Kristina Mladenovic up against her in the second round before a possible match-up against Danielle Collins.
However, her toughest match might come up against the 10th seeded Serena Williams in the fourth round with the winner taking on second seeded Halep in the quarters. Williams should have no trouble in round two against Rebecca Peterson or in the third round against Wang Qiang.
Potential Fourth Round Match-Ups at WTA Miami Open Based on Seedings:
Osaka v Wozniacki
Kerber v Sabalenka
Kvitova v Goerges
Bertens v Barty
Pliskova v Sevastova
Stephens v Mertens
Svitolina v Serena
Halep v Kasatkina
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