Three to See, Miami Open Day 9: 2023’s best rivalry continues with Sabalenka vs. Krejcikova

HIGHLIGHTS: Krejcikova gets the better of Sabalenka in Dubai

Frances Tiafoe vs. Lorenzo Sonego

This match leads off the night session in the stadium, and it’s easy to see why. It may have the most promise, entertainment-wise, of any of Monday’s matches. Tiafoe is in form, and we know he likes to put on a show. Sonego is ranked 45 spots lower than the American (14 to 59), but he won their most recent meeting, in straight sets, last fall in Davis Cup. Sonego also has a couple of decent wins so far in Miami, over Dan Evans and Dominic Thiem.

Tiafoe has more all-around game than Sonego, and his showmanship no longer conflicts with his will to win. He fought hard, and patiently, to defuse a hot-hitting opponent in Yosuke Watanuki on Saturday. Sonego’s attack is more one-dimensional, but he does have the superior forehand. On the right night, that might be enough, but the pro-Foe atmosphere in Miami probably means this won’t be the right night for Sonego. Winner: Tiafoe

Bianca Andreescu vs. Ekaterina Alexandrova

Are we heading for another Andreescu revival in Miami? She fought tooth and nail to make the final here in 2021, then largely disappeared again due to injury. So far in 2023, she has been the star of the day sessions, winning three matches in the main stadium: over major champions Emma Raducanu and Sofia Kenin, and a Top 10 opponent in Maria Sakkari.

Now the schedulers have switched things up, sending Andreescu out to the Grandstand for the night session. There she’ll also face an opponent she has never played before, Ekaterina Alexandrova. It should be a test. The Russian is ranked 13 spots ahead of the Canadian, and she’s coming off a difficult, quality win over Belinda Bencic, in which she had to save set points before prevailing in a 10-8 first-set tiebreaker. Alexandrova has a strong serve and backhand. Will they be enough to stop the latest Andreescu revival in its tracks? Winner: Alexandrova

Aryna Sabalenka vs. Barbora Krejcikova

This may be turning into 2023’s best rivalry. Krejcikova won their first meeting of the year, in Dubai, after losing the first set 6-0. Two weeks later in Indian Wells, Sabalenka got a measure of revenge in another close one, 6-4 in the third set. Now they square off again in the Monday night-session finale in the stadium.

Each has maintained her high level in Miami, and neither has dropped a set so far. They’ve also won their matches in the ways they usually win them. On Sunday, Krejcikova was a little more polished than her doubles partner, Madison Keys, and Sabalenka a lot more powerful than Marie Bouzkova. Krejcikova, unlike most players right now, can handle Sabalenka’s pace, and can counter it with a varied repertoire of her own. But Sabalenka is pounding the ball, and her opponents, at the moment. Winner: Sabalenka