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The suspension of the WTA and ATP Tours until June have taken away some of the biggest tournaments from the tennis calendar and left behind a void. The 2020 Miami Open was slated to be held in the latter half of March, but was axed as well.
With no action taking place in Florida this year, all we can do is reminisce about some of the best tennis that has been played here in the last few years. Here are the top three women's matches from last year's tournament that you should absolutely revisit this week.
#3. Simona Halep vs Venus Williams (Fourth round)
Two former top 10 players came up against each other in the fourth round of last year's tournament and the match lived up to its hype. Venus Williams and Simona Halep showcased contrasting styles of game in a closely contested two-set match that had fans on the edge of their seats.
The American legend has become known for losing out in drawn-out matches of late. Williams tends to come out firing with her best game, but often struggles to maintain that level throughout matches. In the face of a slow-starter in form of Halep, that wasn't enough. But the match had some fine shot-making and an epic display of grit from both women and that's reason enough to revisit.
Final score: Halep managed to win in two tights sets, 6-3, 6-3
#2. Hsieh Su-Wei vs Naomi Osaka (Third round)
It was a regular day in the office for the then world no. 1 Naomi Osaka when she was leading with a set and break in the third round match against a certain Hsieh Su-Wei. But little did anyone know that the match will turn on its head and end up becoming one of the best of the year.
Hsieh Su-Wei found her best tennis with her back to the wall and broke Osaka to level the match at 5-5 in the second and then found another level to take the set in a tiebreaker. Not to say that the Taiwanese wasn't paying well up to that point, but going into the tiebreaker, she found a level that would just go on to baffle Osaka and everyone in the stadium.
The point for 2-2 (15-15) in the third set sums up the entire match and had the stadium on their feet, cheering for the underdog. And there she was, digging deep in her reserves against a power hitter twelve years her junior. Osaka did not play too badly, but this one has Hsieh Su-Wei written all over it. Go watch for yourself!
Final score: Su-Wei won in three set, 4-6, 7-6, 6-3
#1. Petra Kvitova vs Ashleigh Barty (Quarterfinals)
The current world no. 1 Asheligh Barty had her big breakthrough in Miami last year, winning her first WTA Premier Mandatory title. And, she admitted that her quarterfinal match against her good friend Petra Kvitova being the hardest one all two weeks.
And there's a lot of merit to Barty's assessment as it was a top-notch encounter and made many year-end best matches lists. Kvitova's firepower was on full display, but it Barty's guile that helped her narrowly edge our the Czech. If the tennis wasn't reason enough to celebrate this match, go and revisit the warm embrace in the end, one that spoke volumes of the spirit that the match was played in all along.
Final score: Barty won in three sets, 7-6, 3-6, -6-2
