By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, March 24, 2019
Venus Williams broke in all eight of Daria Kasatkina's service games crusing to a 6-3, 6-1 triumph and a fourth-round clash with second-seeded Simona Halep.
Photo credit: Lindsey Godwin/Miami Open
MIAMI—Simona Halep showed staying power winning a marathon match.
Venus Williams sprinted through nine straight games dismissing Daria Kasatina, 6-3, 6-1, on Grandstand.
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The former world No. 1 pair took decidedly disparate routes to a fourth-round run-in at the Miami Open.
In her debut on the new stadium court, Halep withstood a tricky test from Polona Hercog, 5-7, 7-6 (1), 6-2, in two hours, 50 minutes staying on course to end this event regaining the top spot after world No. 1 Naomi Osaka’s loss to Su-Wei Hsieh yesterday.
“It’s been a tough match—she played unbelievable,” Halep told Andrew Krasny afterward. “I think both of us, actually, in the end played much better in the end then in the beginning. So I’m really happy with this victory. It means a lot.
"The fact I stayed there and I was running like crazy for three hours so it makes me, like, more happier and confident.”
The third-ranked Romanian had to dig down deep to deter a creative Hercog and keep her quest for No. 1 alive. Halep must reach the final to return to the top spot—and if Petra Kvitova gets to the title match on Saturday, Halep would need to seize No. 1 .
“Slowly I find my rhythm again,” Halep said. “The fact I’m not giving up any points means a lot and gives me a lot of confidence to go through to believe I can win every match I play. So if I have this feeling like last year finishing No. 1…if I keep doing this I think I have a chance to be No. 1.”
For two sets today, it was about survival and pain management. Down 2-3, Halep took a medical timeout for treatment of her left knee.
Hercog, who may well lead the tour in tattoos, gunked up Halep’s typically clean game mixing in her low slice backhand with higher bounding topspin forehand and a willingness to close at net. The world No. 93 blocked a high volley extending her lead to 4-2.
Halep called for new coach Daniel Dobre after the seventh game, who seemed to reset his charge. Pressuring immediately in the following game, Halep spun a backhand down the line drawing a netted forehand to break back for 4-all.
All that good work dissipated as Hercog again pressed the issue frustrating the Romanian with shorter angles and deeper drives. Halep swiped her Wilson racquet at the court after dropping serve at love.
Serving for the set, the long-limbed Slovenian backed the former world No. 1 up behind the baseline and drew an error on her second set point snatching a one-set lead after 62 minutes. Hercog was the more assertive player throughout the set hitting 10 more winners—13 to 3—than the world No. 3.
Trying to fire herself up, Halep was moving with more urgency in the second set, but neither woman could gain much separation. The eighth game escalated into one of the longest games of the match. Halep converted her fourth break point to take a 5-3 lead.
Hercog wasn’t about to go quietly. She broke right back at 30 then held to level after 10 games.
Halep’s father, Stere, was out of his seat exhorting his daughter as the tie breaker began.
The reigning Roland Garros champion answered the call capitalizing on a series of forehand errors in roaring out to a 5-0 lead. Torching a forehand down the line, Halep seized the second set with a pumped fist to force a decider.
Hercog took treatment for a foot issue prior to the start of the decider.
Working over the Slovenian’s forehand, Halep drew a netted forehand breaking for a 2-1 advantage.
Halep navigated a demanding 12-point game, denying a break point along the way, for 3-1.
The Romanian broke again in the seventh game and reeled off eight consecutive points on her own serve to close in two hours, 50 minutes.
While Halep was putting in the hard yards, Williams was in cruise control.
Facing a 2-3 deficit, Williams began punishing Kasatkina’s suspect second serve.
While Williams’ own lethal serve has lost some sting in recent months, she was pounding returns against the Russian, who did not hold serve the entire match.
The three-time champion broke serve eight times in all and reeled off eight of the last nine points on her own serve wrapping up a tidy 74-minute triumph to level her head-to-head with Kasatkina at two wins apiece.
Venus has done just about everything in her career, but concedes her break-fest is a first.
"Honestly, I didn't realize that until after the match looking at the stats," Williams said. "I've never had a match before like that in my life. There's always a time for a first. I'm returning really well. If I'm getting a look at the serve, it's going well for me. So I want to return that well tomorrow, too."
Williams rolled into her 16th Miami Open fourth round 21 years after she defeated Anna Kournikova in the 1998 final at Crandon Park.
Williams and Halep have split six career meetings with the French Open champion prevailing in stright sets in their most recent meeting at the Australian Open.
"Well, it's always tough against Venus," Halep said. "I'm not going to say that it's going to be easier because I won the last matches against her. It's a big challenge for me, always I face Williams sisters.
"I will be motivated. I will be ready to play. Hopefully I will be 100 percent tomorrow. Why not, I will believe that I have the chance. Still I will stay focused."
The 38-year-old Floridian started the event as one of five former champions in the field. Williams and defending champion Sloane Stephens are the only former women’s champions still standing.