World No 1 Angelique Kerber reached the quarter-finals of the Miami Open on Monday after beating Japanese qualifier Risa Ozaki 6-2, 6-2. Kerber was in complete control as she broke Ozaki’s serve twice to take a 4-1 lead in the first set. The second set was also a cakewalk as the Ozaki tried her best to go toe-to-toe with her opponent.

“She came through the qualifiers, she beat good players, so I was ready for it,” Kerber said. “I talked with my team and I knew that she’s moving good and bringing a lot of balls back. I was trying to play my game and be aggressive.” Kerber will now face Venus Williams for a place is the semis.

Venus gets past Kuznesova

Venus Williams beat seventh seed Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3, 7-6(4) to enter the last eight of the Miami Open. Williams, who was a finalist at the Australian Open, won the first set with ease 6-3. However, she was tested by the Russian in the second as it went into a tie-breaker. Williams finally prevailed 7-4 to win the set and the match.

Safarova upsets Cibulkova

Fourth-seed Dominika Cibulkova lost to Czech Republic’s Lucie Safarova 6-7 (5), 1-6. Safarova will now face 12th seed Caroline Wozniacki who advanced after her opponent, Spain’s Garbine Muguruza, retired when she fell ill after being edged in a first set tie-break. Second seed Karolina Pliskova also beat Barbora Strycova 6-1, 6-4.