Badosa ends Halep’s comeback in Miami; Venus Williams defeated

Florida (IANS) – Simona Halep’s comeback at the Miami Open was cut short by Paula Badosa, who triumphed 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the first round. Badosa, ranked World No. 80, grabbed her first win since February and stands at a 5-5 record for the year, battling injuries.

Halep, a two-time Grand Slam champion, made a return to the WTA Tour after an 18-month hiatus. The Court of Arbitration for Sport recently reduced her ban to nine months, prompting her to accept a wild card from the Miami Open tournament director James Blake.

In another turn of events, Diana Shnaider ended Venus Williams’ streak of appearances at the Miami Open by defeating the three-time champion 6-3, 6-3. The match lasted 1 hour and 19 minutes, showcasing a contrast in ages with Williams at 43 and Shnaider at 19.

Caroline Wozniacki, the 2018 Australian Open winner, emerged as the lone former Grand Slam champion to advance to the second round in the Women’s Singles draw. The Danish Wild Card swiftly defeated Clara Burel 6-1, 6-4 in 1 hour and 17 minutes, setting up a match against Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina for a spot in the third round.