The big surprise on Friday at the WTA 1,000 in Miami was given by a 16-year-old girl born in the Czech Republic named Linda Fruhvirtova. Invited by the organization, this player, who was a junior semifinalist last year at Wimbledon, where she was won by the Spanish Ane Mintegi, ultimately champion, the Belgian Elise Mertens, 20th favorite, was teased with a victory 7-5, 6-2 and 6-1 in two hours. In the first round he had dropped the Montenegrin Kovinic (6-0 and 6-4). In the third round, they will be seen on Sunday with the Russian Alexandrova or the Belarusian Azarenka.
✨ BIGGEST win of her career ✨
16 year-old wildcard Linda Fruhvirtova knocks out the No.20 seed Mertens!#MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/JL7zVENyzE
— wta (@WTA) March 25, 2022
Fruhvirtova is proof that the Czech youth academy is inexhaustible. Two years ago, when she was still 13, she was already showing her ways and beat her countrywoman Katerina Siniakova, who was 54th in the world. In the Miami women’s draw there were eight players from this country, the largest representation after the United States (14). The oldest is Petra Kvitova (32 years old), an example for the others after having been number two in the world and having won Wimbledon twice. this Friday she beat the French Burel in three sets (6-1, 3-6 and 6-3) and will face the American Davis. With her were in Florida, in addition to Fruhvirtova, Pliskova (30), Martincova (27), Muchova (25), Siniakova (25), Vondrousova (22), who finally resigned due to injury, and Bouzkova (23)., who got into the box from the previous one and is the rival of Paula Badosa. And missing Krejcikova (26), Roland Garros champion, who is injured.
The Czech Republic has five players in the top-50 (Krejcikova (4), Pliskova (8), Kvitova (32), Vondrousova (33) and Martincova (46). And three more in the top-100: Siniakova (53), Muchova (74) and Bouzkova (86). In 22nd place, a 17-year-old girl, Linda Noskova, appears. And behind Fruhvirtova is Sara Bejlek, also with 16.
Ostapenko eliminated
Jelena Ostapenko, another of the favorites (10th), was eliminated by the American Shelby Rogers (6-3 and 7-6 (0), who will face the Russian Veronika Kudermetova in the third round, which went through the retirement of the Hungarian Galfi when she won it 5-1. Jessica Pegula (16th) did not stumble, who was able to beat her American compatriot Sloane Stephens (6-1 and 6-4) and will face Kazakh Elena Rybakina (17th), who was able to beat Romanian Ruse (6-4 and 7- 5). TThe local Coco Gauff also advanced with a comfortable victory against Qiang Wang (7-5 and 6-4). The 14th seed avenged the defeat she suffered against the Chinese at the last Australian Open and will run into another rival of that nationality, Zhang, who dropped the Romanian Cirstea (double 6-1).
Results of the Miami Masters 1,000.