Bencic Beats Anisimova to Reach Miami Open Quarterfinals

Belinda Bencic advanced to the quarterfinals of the Miami Open with a commanding 6-2, 6-2 victory over sixth-seeded American Amanda Anisimova on March 23 in the Round of 16. The Swiss player's dominant performance, marked by precise serving and aggressive groundstrokes, propelled her into a highly anticipated matchup against fourth-seeded Coco Gauff.

Bencic, seeded 12th, controlled the match from the outset on the hard courts of the Grandstand, breaking Anisimova's serve four times while facing no break points herself. She landed 87 percent of her first serves and won 72 percent of those points, striking 19 winners in just 14 games. The 29-year-old Swiss completed the straight-sets win in under 80 minutes, extending her head-to-head lead over Anisimova to 3-2. This result marked Bencic's first Miami quarterfinal since 2022 and maintained her undefeated record in sets at this year's tournament.

The match concluded with an unusual interruption that briefly heightened the tension. As Bencic prepared to serve for the match at 5-2 in the second set, two spectators behind her stood to leave, drawing the chair umpire's immediate attention. He halted play and directed them to either sit...