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SPORTS Thursday 28 March 2019

Federer reaches quarters in

Miami, Halep eyes No. 1 ranking

By TIM REYNOLDS seeds left on the men's side, opening set. "Margins are
AP Sports Writer and the biggest test yet for super-slim and you need a
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) Anderson since his return bit of help sometimes from
— Roger Federer will face a from an elbow issue. your opponent."
hectic few days if he's go- "I'm feeling really good," Fe- Federer leads the head-to-
ing to win another Miami derer said. "Today's match, head against Anderson 5-1,
Open. I can be really happy with the loss coming last year in
He's off to a good start. so I hope it's going to give the Wimbledon quarterfi-
Federer is through to the me some confidence for nals — Anderson winning
quarterfinals, having little tomorrow." 13-11 in the fifth set.
trouble on the way to a Federer and Medvedev "If you beat me at Wimble-
6-4, 6-2 victory over 13th- split the first eight games, don, you've got my atten-
seeded Daniil Medvedev and then things turned tion," Federer said.
on Wednesday — needing quickly. Federer broke Meanwhile, second-seed-
only 61 minutes to prevail in Medvedev for a 5-4 lead in ed Simona Halep also fin-
a match where he commit- the first set, fought off three ished her match Wednes- Simona Halep, of Romania, returns a volley to Qiang Wang, of
ted a mere eight unforced break points to close out day with a flourish. China, during the Miami Open tennis tournament, Wednesday,
errors. The match was sup- the set in the next game, And a return to the world's March 27, 2019, in Miami Gardens, Fla.
posed to be Tuesday and and got another break to No. 1 ranking could be her Associated Press
was pushed back a day open the second set. He reward.
because of rain. cruised home from there. Halep beat 18th-seeded and Vondrousova play this position again."
So now, to win what would "When you want to go Qiang Wang 6-4, 7-5 in the later Wednesday in an all- Halep has been No. 1 twice
be his fourth Miami title, deep in tournaments, quarterfinals. Halep won Czech Republic quarterfi- before, including most of
Federer will have to pre- sometimes you need those the final six games against nal. 2018. She surrendered the
vail four times in a five-day 15 minutes that go your Qiang and would return to "I just found out from my ranking to Naomi Osaka in
span. Next up for the No. 4 way and you're able to pull No. 1 in the world if she wins coach that I need one January, and didn't think
seed is a quarterfinal Thurs- away with the score too," her semifinal match against more match to be No. she would have a chance
day against No. 6 seed Federer said of the break either fifth-seeded Karolina 1 again," Halep said. "It's to grab it back again this
Kevin Anderson — a match and then the rally from Pliskova or unseeded Mar- pretty much in my head quickly. "It would mean a
between the two highest 0-40 down to serve out the keta Vondrousova. Pliskova and I'm happy that I'm in lot," Halep said.q