(March 24, 2022) Thursday at the Miami Open was a day upsets on the women’s side of the draw as 11 seeded women lost. Unseeded Naomi Osaka , currently ranked at 77th in the world beat three-time major champion and 13th seed Angelique Kerber easily 6-2, 6-3 to reach the third round.

WTA Singles – Second Round
I. Begu (ROU) d. [1] A. Sabalenka 64 64
A. Li (USA) d. [3] A. Kontaveit (EST) 60 36 64
[Q] A. Kalinskaya d. [6] Ka. Pliskova (CZE) 63 63
[8] O. Jabeur (TUN) d. M. Linette (POL) 76(1) 62
[9] D. Collins (USA) d. A. Bondar (HUN) 63 36 64
K. Siniakova (CZE) d. [11] E. Raducanu (GBR) 36 64 75
N. Osaka (JPN) d. [13] A. Kerber (GER) 62 63
H. Watson (GBR) d. [15] E. Svitolina (UKR) 46 63 76(4) – saved one match point
K. Muchova (CZE) d. [18] L. Fernandez (CAN) 64 76(3)
[Q] V. Zvonareva d. [19] T. Zidansek (SLO) 63 62
[22] B. Bencic (SUI) d. M. Kostyuk (UKR) 63 61
A. Sasnovich d. [25] D. Kasatkina 76(5) 64
A. Riske (USA) d. [31] A. Cornet (FRA) 62 62
[WC] D. Saville (AUS) d. [LL] H. Tan (FRA) 64 62
[LL] L. Bronzetti (ITA) d. [LL] S. Voegele (SUI) 62 61
K. Kanepi (EST) d. [32] S. Sorribes Tormo (ESP) 36 75 60

“It is a confidence booster, but I didn’t go into the match not confident, if that makes sense,” Osaka said to media. The German came into the match with a 4-1 record against the Japanese Osaka.

“I think initial reflections, for me, honestly this whole year I have been trying to like do really well on service returns and also my own serves, so I think the last time I played her, I don’t know if it was Wimbledon or Singapore, but I just remember not being too confident on the returns.

“So this time I think I did pretty well. I was trying to attack her second serves and not hesitate that well, so maybe that was, I don’t want to say the key, but really important.”

“For me, it kind of just shows all the hard work that I have been doing throughout the year. And for me, I was really glad I was able to come through in two sets. I know the scoreline might have looked like I was cruising, but I was really like focused every point.

“So I’m really glad that I have come to this point in my career where I can say that, you know, I’m really like glad with how I played. I think mentally too, as well, just being able to stay like kind of neutral the entire match, it was really cool.”

Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu knocked out top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 6-4. It was her first win over a Top 10 player in her last 18 matches.

No. 3 Anett Kontaveit, No. 6 Karolina Pliskova, No. 11 Emma Raducanu, No. 15 Elina Svitolina, No. 18 Leylah Fernandez, No. 19 Tamara Zidansek, No. 25 Daria Kasatkina, No. 31 Alize Cornet and No. 32 Sara Sorribes Tormo also lost on Thursday.

In men’s play, three-time major champion Andy Murray, who is in the tournament with a wild card beat Federico Delbonis 7-6 (4), 6-1. the Scot will take on top seed Daniil Medvedev in the second round.

It will be a tough match Murray admitted. “He’s played extremely well on hard courts the last few seasons,” he said. “He appears to be right up there at the top of the game. It’ll be a big challenge, a great test.”