Miami Open: Simona Halep exits as Angelique Kerber, Victoria Azarenka win

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Miami, March 25: World number one Simona Halep made a third-round exit at the Miami Open as Angelique Kerber and Victoria Azarenka moved into the last 16.

Halep suffered a three-set loss to Agnieszka Radwanska on Saturday (March 24) in the 11th meeting between the pair.

But that was the biggest surprise at the WTA Premier event as Kerber, Azarenka, Karolina Pliskova and Garbine Muguruza were among the winners.

HALEP DOWNED BY RADWANSKA

Halep went down to 2012 champion Radwanska 3-6 6-2 6-3 in one hour, 44 minutes.

The Romanian had won five of the previous seven clashes between the pair, but Radwanska's victory saw her edge 6-5 in front in their head-to-head.

Radwanska will next face Azarenka after the three-time champion beat 20th seed Anastasija Sevastova 3-6 6-4 6-1.

KERBER IN FORM

Kerber has enjoyed a strong start to the year and it continued with a convincing 6-4 6-4 win over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

The German holds a 23-5 win-loss record in 2018 but is still bidding to add to her Sydney title won in January.

Kerber's next outing is against Wang Yafan, who won the battle of qualifiers over Alison Riske 4-6 6-3 7-6 (7-4).

PLISKOVA, MUGURUZA PROGRESS

The fifth-seeded Pliskova was pushed before getting past Hsieh Su-wei 6-4 1-6 7-6 (7-4).

Muguruza had it far easier, needing just 70 minutes to crush Christina McHale 6-2 6-1.

US Open champion Sloane Stephens also got through, leading Monica Niculescu 6-7 (1-7) 6-3 4-0 when the Romanian retired.

Source: OPTA