Miami, FL (SportsNetwork.com) – Fresh off her big title at Indian Wells,
third-seeded Simona Halep remained hot with a second-round victory Friday
at the $5.3 million Miami Open.
The 2014 French Open runner-up got past Czech former top-10 star Nicole
Vaidisova 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 on the hardcourts at Crandon Park.
The sizzling 23-year-old Romanian Halep has now won 11 straight matches and is
a brilliant 20-1 for the season, with her lone setback coming in the
quarterfinals at the Australian Open in January. She’s seeking her third title
in three events.
A top-10 upset came when Swedish veteran Johanna Larsson doused Czech No. 10
seed Lucie Safarova 7-6 (7-5), 6-2.
Meanwhile, promising 15-year-old American CiCi Bellis also posted an upset by
tackling 29th-seeded Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan, 6-2, 6-1.
Also on Day 4, 24th-seeded Russian and 2006 Miami titlist Svetlana Kuznetsova
pasted American Alison Riske 6-2, 6-2 and 30th-seeded Italian Camila Giorgi
whipped Belgian Alison Van Uytvanck 6-3, 6-2.
The 2015 Miami champ will earn $900,400.
