Luckily for each other, their fierce rivalry heats up. Two players proud of one Grand Slam title and current or former world number two, Czech Barbora Krejčíková and Belarusian Aryna Sabalenková, will face each other again. Third time in a month.

Their round of 16 duel will be a highlight of the program on the night from Monday to Tuesday at Miami’s impressive Hard Rock Stadium.

This is Krejčíková’s move.

She famously beat tennis player of the season and winner of the Australian Open in Dubai, where she won the second most valuable title of her career. But Sabalenkova pulled off a dramatic three-set rematch at Indian Wells.

“The best competition of the year continues,” the Tennis.com dedicated server coaxed before the Florida 1,000 hit. He added, the two players in Miami are still showing their highest level.

Krejčíková convincingly defeated host Madison Keys in the third round and won the tenth game out of the last eleven matches. Her only loss was against Sabalenkova in California.

Nevertheless, experts know that the tennis player from Ivančice is one of the few players who are currently able to face the magnificent offensive machine from Minsk.

“Krejčíková, unlike most contemporary players, could handle Sabalenková’s pace and could keep up with his own varied repertoire,” said American tennis journalist Joel Drucker, author of the book “Jimmy Connors Saved My Life”.

Sabalenková himself was well aware of how dangerous Krejčíková was to him.

Forget Dubai, where after a disastrous 0: 6 in the first set, the Czech Republic impressively overcame the unfortunate fate of the match and in the end plunged the ambitious Belarusians into despair, after all, it was impossible.

“If you give him time he can play the ball exactly where he wants. It’s hard with him, all the fighting. I have to put him under a lot of pressure, I have to be very aggressive. He’s a great player,” said the reigning king. The Australian Open champion hails the Roland Garros winner from 2021.

He enjoyed the newly emerging rivalry with Krejčíková.

“I like it. I like repeated duels, rematches. I like that now there are more players on the circuit who are consistently good. I really like to see it,” he reported.

The twenty-four-year-old Belarusian is definitely the best tennis player of the season with a record of nineteen wins and only two defeats. Apart from Krejčíková, only Wimbledon champion Jelena Rybakinová had beaten her in the final of her previous tournament at Indian Wells.

“She’s really top right now. Her tennis is really exciting, I love playing against her. Her hitting is one of the quickest. She’s very aggressive,” Krejčíková returned the praise for Sokina.

But he believes in his abilities. “This is a great opportunity for me. My tennis is on the rise and I feel I have a great chance against it,” said the Czech.