Maria Sakkari opened her Miami Open campaign with a commanding 6-2, 6-2 victory over Yue Yuan on Thursday night. This win propels her into the third round of the tournament.
Fresh off her impressive run to the Indian Wells final, where she fell to World No. 1 Iga Swiatek, Sakkari entered the match focused and determined. Ranked ninth in the world, she faced No. 37 Yue Yuan and lived up to her favourite status.
The Greek champion wasted no time asserting her dominance. She secured two breaks within the first four games, building a commanding 4-0 lead. Yuan briefly threatened a comeback, but Sakkari remained unfazed, closing out the first set 6-2 in just 35 minutes.
The second set followed a similar pattern. After an initial exchange of holds, Sakkari seized control, overpowering Yuan to reach 4-1. Maintaining her momentum, she sealed the match with another 6-2 victory in 44 minutes.
This win marks Sakkari's second straight victory over Yuan, having also defeated her at the Australian Open last year. She now awaits the winner of the upcoming Saville-Jastremska matchup in the third round.