Wang Qiang crashes out of Miami Open, Roger Federer reaches quarters

Simona Halep overcame a second-SET lapse to secure a 6-4, 7-5 quarter-final victory over China's Wang Qiang in Miami Openon Wednesday that put the Romanian one win away from reclaiming the world's top ranking.

Second seed Halep stormed back from 5-1 down in the second SET and saved three SET points before wrapping up the win over 18th-seeded Wang in 89 minutes.

Halep started strongly and broke Wang three times to race into a 4-1 lead before closing out the first SET when she cut off the angle on a short forehand and blasted a winner into the open court.

But Wang came out firing in the second SET, breaking Halep three times and holding to love in back-to-back service games to build a 5-1 lead.

Wang nearly forced a decisive third SET as she threatened to break Halep again when she quickly jumped out to 0-40 in the 10th game but the Romanian displayed confident net play to get out of the jam.

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China's Wang Qiang shows her frustration during the quarterfinals of the Miami Open at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, U.S., March 27, 2019. /VCG Photo

Halep matched her best result in Miami, which came in 2015 when she lost to Serena Williams in the semis.

"Playing again in the semi-finals is going to be a big challenge. And maybe I can do my best result here and play in the final," Halep said in an on-court interview. "It's going to be a big match in the next round."

Federer eases past Medvedev

A clinical Roger Federer took a confident step toward a fourth Miami Open title on Wednesday, easing past 13th-seeded Russian Daniil Medvedev 6-4 6-2 to book his spot in the quarter-finals.

Federer, a winner of 100 career titles, can look back on dozens of brilliant performances and the Swiss maestro could add his ruthless fourth-round win over the red hot Russian to that list.

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Switzerland's Roger Federer hits a forehand against Russia's Medvedev in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, U.S., March 27, 2019. /VCG Photo

With 17 match wins, no player has had more success this year than the lanky Russian but Medvedev had no answers for a rampaging Federer, who needed just 61 minutes to reach the last eight, where he will take on towering sixth-seeded South African Kevin Anderson.

Defending champion John Isner came out on the winning side of two tie-breakers in his afternoon battle with Roberto Bautista Agut to advance 7-6(1) 7-6(5) to the semi-finals of the tournament, where he has yet to drop a SET.

The seventh-seeded American thumped 25 aces to see off the Spaniard and will next face either 18-year-old Canadian Felix Auger Aliassime or defensive baseliner Borna Coric, who play their quarter-final in the night session on Wednesday.