Miami, FL (SportsNetwork.com) – Resurgent German Andrea Petkovic was an easy
quarterfinal victor Tuesday at the $5.3 million Miami Open.
The oft-injured ninth-seeded German star blew past 14th-seeded big-serving
Czech Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 6-2 in 75 minutes on the hardcourts at Crandon
Park. “Petko” is now 2-1 lifetime versus the rising Pliskova.
This year’s Antwerp titlist Petkovic will face 12th-seeded Spaniard Carla
Suarez Navarro or 34-year-old 16th-seeded former world No. 1 Venus Williams in
the semifinals. The seven-time Grand Slam singles titlist Venus titled
here in 1998, 1999 and 2001 and was the Miami runner-up in 2010.
Two more quarterfinals will be held on Wednesday, when current No. 1 superstar
Serena Williams takes on 27th-seeded former Wimbledon runner-up Sabine Lisicki
and red-hot third-seeded Romanian Simona Halep battles unseeded American
Sloane Stephens. Lisicki stunned Serena in a fourth-rounder at Wimbledon two
years ago. Last year’s French Open runner-up Halep has won her last 13 matches
on tour, which includes a title at Indian Wells prior to this Miami fortnight.
The 33-year-old Florida resident Serena is a seven-time Miami champ and two-
time runner-up. The reigning Australian and U.S. Open winner beat Li Na in
last year’s Miami Open finale for a second straight title in “Magic City.”
