Emma Raducanu bids for a quarter-final berth at the Miami Open as she faces Amanda Anisimova in Monday's fourth-round clash in Florida.
Anisimova, fresh from ending Mirra Andreeva's 13-match winning streak in Sunday's third-round showdown between the two WTA 1000 champions this season, meets Raducanu for the first time since an error-filled Australian Open encounter, eager to rectify those mistakes by defeating the in-form Brit.
Match preview
© Imago
Raducanu may have benefitted from McCartney Kessler's back injury, which led to a 6-1, 3-0 (ret) victory in just 47 minutes, but the former world No. 10's dedication and perseverance are paying off in Florida.
The 2021 US Open champion entered the fourth-round event with a disappointing 1-6 record in her previous seven matches, a straight-sets victory over Maria Sakkari in Dubai, and just a fortnight after an underwhelming performance at Indian Wells, where she was ousted in the first round by Moyuka Uchijima.
However, the world No. 60 has performed admirably to reach the last 16 in Miami, defeating Sayaka Ishii in the opening round and outlasting three-set specialist Emma Navarro in the second round.
Defeating Navarro marked only the British star's third top-10 victory, and she followed that up with a success in Sunday's shortened match against Kessler.
Now seeking a third consecutive victory over American players, the 22-year-old aims to stun Anisimova in her local tournament, currently holding a 3-2 record overall at the Florida event after beginning this year's competition with two losses.
© Iconsport
To overcome the Florida resident, Raducanu will need a dip in performance from her opponent, who halted Andreeva's impressive run with a 7-6(5), 2-6, 6-3 victory on Sunday, while the 17-year-old aimed to become the first teenager to secure the Sunshine Double.
The world No. 17 capitalised on four of her nine breakpoint opportunities, whilst also benefitting from Andreeva's struggles, as the Russian player converted only four out of 16 chances to reach the last 16 for a rematch with Raducanu.
Their previous encounter took place at the year's opening Grand Slam, where Anisimova lost despite leading 3-1 in the first set and 3-0 in the second.
That performance sparked a remarkable six-match winning streak, culminating in her first success at the 1000 event in Doha, and the American player, now boasting an 11-4 season record, hopes to avoid another mistake-ridden display against the British player.
Having entered this year's Miami tournament on a three-match losing streak — facing defeats to Bianca Andreescu (2021), Shelby Rogers (2022) and Madison Brengle (2023) — Anisimova has now achieved consecutive victories in Florida for the first time following her wins over Mayar Sherif and a gruelling two-hour, 49-minute battle against Andreeva.
Now, the world No. 17 sets her sights on a second quarter-final at 1000-level tournaments, hoping to avenge her Australian Open exit.
Tournament so far
Emma Raducanu:
First round: vs. Sayaka Ishii 6-2 6-1
Second round: vs. Emma Navarro 7-6[6] 2-6 7-6[3]
Third round: vs. McCartney Kessler 6-1 3-0 ret
Amanda Anisimova:
First round: Bye
Second round: vs. Mayar Sherif 6-2 6-2
Third round: vs. Mirra Andreeva 7-6[5] 2-6 6-3
Head To Head
Australian Open (2025) - Second round: Raducanu 6-3 7-5
Raducanu won the pair's only meeting on the women's tour, capitalising on Anisimova's 44 unforced errors at Melbourne Park to claim victory 6-3, 7-5, despite trailing 3-1 and 3-0 at various points.
The British player's success in Miami has seen her register three wins in a row for the first time since Wimbledon last year, although that streak ended in the fourth round against Lulu Sun.
Anisimova, with a record of 11-4 this season, enters Monday's match after achieving consecutive wins in Miami for the first time, in a bid to move past previous disappointing early exits in Dubai and Indian Wells; the 23-year-old hopes to win three matches in a row for only the second time this season.
We say: Anisimova to win in three sets
While it remains uncertain how the Florida resident will manage the quick turnaround following a nearly three-hour match against Andreeva on Sunday, Anisimova is unlikely to repeat her previous errors in execution against the Brit on Monday.
Although a rested Raducanu may claim a set in this last-16 contest, the hard-hitting American is expected to prevail over the former Grand Slam champion.
