Published: 15:46, March 23, 2025 | Updated: 16:56, March 23, 2025
Zheng advances, Bu stumbles at Miami Open
By Xinhua
Zheng Qinwen of China plays a forehand return to Laura Siegemund of Germany during their second-round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Jan 15, 2025. (PHOTO / AP)

 MIAMI - China's Zheng Qinwen advanced to the last 16 while compatriot Bu Yunchaokete was eliminated on an action-packed day at the Miami Open on Saturday.

Olympic gold medalist Zheng progressed with an impressive 6-1, 7-6(3) victory over American Taylor Townsend in their third-round encounter.

Zheng won 80 percent of her total service points and converted two of three break points to take the match in an hour and 17 minutes.

ALSO READ: China's Wang/Zheng clinch last 16 spot in Miami

Townsend struggled to deal with the power and accuracy of the ninth seed's serve, winning just 11 of 55 points on her return.

Zheng's next match will be against American Ashlyn Krueger, who registered a straight sets victory over Canada's 26th seed Leylah Fernandez.

Zheng, 22, is aiming for her sixth career title in the WTA 1000 hardcourt event.

China's Bu Yunchaokete exited the men's tournament when he fell 6-4, 6-4 to Australian 10th seed Alex de Minaur.

De Minaur hit 24 winners and won 83 percent of his service points to prevail in an hour and 26 minutes.

China's Bu Yunchaokete hits a return to Alex Michelsen of the US during a Mexican Open tennis match in Acapulco, Mexico, Feb 25, 2025. (PHOTO / AP) 

Bu served six aces and often looked dangerous at the net as De Minaur attempted to wear down his rival from the baseline. But despite his impressive all-court game, 69th-ranked Bu was let down by 22 unforced errors.

World No. 11 De Minaur will meet Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca in the next round of the ATP Masters 1000 event.

Earlier on Saturday, China's Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai secured a last 16 berth in the women's doubles with a 6-4, 7-6(6) victory over Canada's Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand.

Wang and Zheng struck four aces to take the match in an hour and 45 minutes.

READ MORE: Top seeds Zverev and Sabalenka advance at Miami Open

Second-seeded pair Dabrowski and Routliffe struggled with a series of unforced errors and looked particularly shaky on serve with eight double faults.

Wang and Zheng will meet American pair Danielle Collins and Desirae Krawczyk in the last 16.

Meanwhile, China's Jiang Xinyu and Chinese Taipei's Wu Fang-Hsien reached the last 16 with a 6-3, 7-5 win over American Asia Muhammad and Demi Schuurs of the Netherlands. The result means that Jiang and Wu will meet Ashlyn Krueger and Jessica Pegula in the next round.

Elsewhere in the women's doubles, China's Zhang Shuai and Elise Mertens of Belgium recovered from a set down to beat Romanian Monica Niculescu and Poland's Katarzyna Piter. Zhang and Mertens will meet Timea Babos of Hungary and Brazil's Luisa Stefani in the round of 16 on Sunday.