Wang Qiang crashes out of Miami Open, Roger Federer reaches quarters

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Simona Halep overcame a second-set lapse to secure a 6-4, 7-5 quarter-final victory over China's Wang Qiang in Miami Open on Wednesday that put the Romanian one win away from reclaiming the world's top ranking.

Second seed Halep stormed back from 5-1 down in the second set and saved three set points before wrapping up the win over 18th-seeded Wang in 89 minutes.

Halep started strongly and broke Wang three times to race into a 4-1 lead before closing out the first set when she cut off the angle on a short forehand and blasted a winner into the open court.

But Wang came out firing in the second set, breaking Halep three times and holding to love in back-to-back service games to build a 5-1 lead.

Wang nearly forced a decisive third set as she threatened to break Halep again when she quickly jumped out to 0-40 in the 10th game but the Romanian displayed confident net play to get out of the jam.

China's Wang Qiang shows her frustration during the quarterfinals of the Miami Open at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, U.S., March 27, 2019. /VCG Photo

Halep matched her best result in Miami, which came in 2015 when she lost to Serena Williams in the semis.

"Playing again in the semi-finals is going to be a big challenge. And maybe I can do my best result here and play in the final," Halep said in an on-court interview. "It's going to be a big match in the next round."

Federer eases past Medvedev

A clinical Roger Federer took a confident step toward a fourth Miami Open title on Wednesday, easing past 13th-seeded Russian Daniil Medvedev 6-4 6-2 to book his spot in the quarter-finals.

Federer, a winner of 100 career titles, can look back on dozens of brilliant performances and the Swiss maestro could add his ruthless fourth-round win over the red hot Russian to that list.

Switzerland's Roger Federer hits a forehand against Russia's Medvedev in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, U.S., March 27, 2019. /VCG Photo

With 17 match wins, no player has had more success this year than the lanky Russian but Medvedev had no answers for a rampaging Federer, who needed just 61 minutes to reach the last eight, where he will take on towering sixth-seeded South African Kevin Anderson.

Defending champion John Isner came out on the winning side of two tie-breakers in his afternoon battle with Roberto Bautista Agut to advance 7-6(1) 7-6(5) to the semi-finals of the tournament, where he has yet to drop a set.

The seventh-seeded American thumped 25 aces to see off the Spaniard and will next face either 18-year-old Canadian Felix Auger Aliassime or defensive baseliner Borna Coric, who play their quarter-final in the night session on Wednesday.

Source(s): Reuters