Kerber advances at Miami Open as Bertens becomes latest victim of heat

Germany’s Angelique Kerber, the No. 2 seed, advanced to the round of 16 at the Miami Open when Kiki Bertens, of the Netherlands, retired in the third set of their thirdround match amid high temperatures and humidity at the Crandon Park Tennis Center in Key Biscayne, Florida.

Kerber was leading 16, 62, 30 when Bertens, the world No. 108, decided to retire after one hour and 23 minutes on the court.

The 24yearold Bertens did not say why she decided to retire from the match.

Bertens, a qualifier at the Miami Open, beat China’s Saisai Zheng in the first round and Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

The Dutch player rolled over Kerber, who upset American world No. 1 Serena Williams to win the Australian Open in January, in the first set, needing just 34 minutes to beat the German, who struggled on serve.

Kerber, who was playing Bertens for the first time, made adjustments to her game, cruising in the second set and getting off to a fast start in the third set.

The 28yearold Kerber, whose best performance in Miami came in 2014, when she made the quarterfinals, will play Hungary’s Timea Babos in the round of 16.

Babos rolled over Japan’s Naomi Osaka 75, 60 on Sunday.

Bertens was just the latest player to retire or withdraw from the tournament amid the high temperatures and humidity that have pushed players to their physical limit on court.

On Saturday, Spain’s Rafael Nadal, Brazil’s Thomaz Bellucci, Britain’s Aljaz Bedene and Ukraine’s Sergiy Stakhovsky all pulled out of matches.

Swiss superstar Roger Federer withdrew from the Miami Open on Friday due to a stomach virus.

In men’s action on Sunday, the Czech Republic’s Tomas Berdych defeated American Steve Johnson in a hardfought match 63, 67 (68), 63 to advance to the round of 16.

Berdych will play the winner of the allFrench thirdround match between Richard Gasquet and Benoit Paire.