'Brave' Magda Linette ousts Coco Gauff, Fils tops Tiafoe on tough Monday in Miami for U.S.
Anisimova, Collins and Opelka also saw their bids at Hard Rock Stadium ended.
Home favorites hit a wall on a trying Monday at the Miami Open, with Coco Gauff and Frances Tiafoe among the U.S. stars sent packing.
Gauff, a resident of nearby Delray Beach, was ousted by Magda Linette. The unseeded Pole capitalized on four of her six break points for a 6-4, 6-4 victory that marked the fifth Top 5 win of her career.
“I think it was really important for me to keep pressing Coco's serve to make sure she feels the pressure. I'm glad that I was returning well,” Linette told press.
“I was really brave. Then I was able to back it up with pretty solid service games because she's really tough.”
Jasmine Paolini stands between Linette and the semifinals, following her 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 comeback against Naomi Osaka. The third-ranked Gauff hit 12 double faults and dropped to 0-3 in the round of 16 at Hard Rock Stadium.
Her countrywoman Amanda Anisimova, who ended Mirra Andreeva’s 13-match win streak Sunday evening and won the season’s opening WTA 1000 event in Doha, was overmatched by Emma Raducanu. The 2021 US Open title holder cruised, 6-1, 6-3, to achieve her best result on the 1000 stage.
“I feel comfortable. I feel like in my environment, in my surroundings with the people I'm with, I feel pretty relaxed, and I can be myself and expressive and true to myself. That's important for me,” shared the Brit.
Ninth seed Zheng Qinwen finished off Ashlyn Krueger, 6-2, 7-6 (3), to book a last-eight clash with Aryna Sabalenka. The world No. 1 improved to 7-0 against Danielle Collins, advancing past the reigning champion, 6-4, 6-4. Collins will depart the Top 20 next Monday as a result.
Meanwhile, Tiafoe went down in a spirited first-time meeting between competitors separated by one ranking place. World No. 18 Arthur Fils battled to a 7-6 (11), 5-7, 6-2 victory on Grandstand, having saved six set points in the opener and later seeing the 17th-ranked Tiafoe save two match points on his serve at 4-5 in the second set.
The 20-year-old is bidding to reach the quarterfinals at both Sunshine Double stops and next gets top seed Alexander Zverev, a 6-4, 7-5 winner over Jordan Thompson. Tiafoe fell to 9-6 on the year.
Tomas Machac continued his strong 2025 start by easing past Reilly Opelka, 7-6 (1), 6-3. The No. 20 seed did not face a break point in out-serving his 6-foot-11 opponent by taking 48 of 58 points overall at the line.
Compatriot Jakub Mensik awaits this month’s Acapulco champion in the round of 16. The 19-year-old earlier took out Indian Wells champion Jack Draper before backing it up by defeating Roman Safiullin, 6-4, 6-4.
Taylor Fritz and Jessica Pegula ensured their nation got into the win column, respectively. Fritz avenged his Dallas defeat to Denis Shapovalov, 7-5, 6-3, while Pegula dismissed Marta Kostyuk, 6-2, 6-3.