Aryna Sabalenka vs Paula Badosa – Miami Open: Live score and game-by-game updates as World No 2 wins opening set after lengthy rain delays in her first match since the death of her former partner Konstantin Koltsov

Badosa takes serve in the next set and a good rally ends with Sabalenka attempting a through-the-legs shot to no avail.

We do however end up in deuce. But Badosa holds.

She’s going to have to work for this but she is doing just that, moving Badosa around nicely.

Badosa then hits a return out. Looked close, but the technology shows it was the correct call. Just a couple of points away now.

Better though the point after as Sabalenka commits and goes the other way.

Into the net from Badosa… but just one point in it…

That’s the first set! Badosa hits the racket in anger.

It looks like Sabalenka will take the set against serve as she races into a 30-0 lead but Badosa pulls it level.

A double fault gives us set point but we then go to deuce.

A shot into the net takes us back to Sabalenka leading but it doesn’t last long. She then sticks her own shot into the net.

Deuce again… Badosa advantage… Game.

Sabalenka will now serve for the set.

Good volley from Sabalenka that Badosa nearly reaches but just about misses.

She then delivers a perfectly-timed ace to go 40-15.

And she goes a leg away from taking the first set.

Both players are finding it really hard to return serve here. Just good serving, I think.

Sabalenka gives Badosa the run around in the middle of the game but her best friend returns the favour

We go to deuce, and it produces the best rally of the game until Sabalenka chops it into the net. She goes wide and we are back to deuce. She then concedes a break point…Oh, that is so, so harsh. Sabalenka’s return clips the net and leaves Badosa helpless.

Good serving from Sabalenka and she approaches the net this time to win a point.

An unforced error into the net halts her momentum at 30-0 but more net play reaps rewards as Badosa goes long.

An ace brings us level again.

A good chance for Sabalenka in the fifth game, as she races into a 30-0 lead.

Badosa pulls it back with a great second serve, but fires and unforced error into the net to give her opponent two break points.

Another monster serve saves one… and the next!

Sabalenka then goes long and cuts a frustrated figure as she seems to accept the chance is gone.

It’s another game on serve despite some desting defence from Badosa.

Sabalenka’s serve again comes to her rescue as she sets up a strong winner and then fires in an ace.

The rallies are quite even here by Badosa benefits from a strong serve in the third game.

Sabalenka pulls out a sensational return though out of nowhere to take it to 40-30 and give herself a chance…

Not this time. Fast-paced, this.

A strong serve from Sabalenka gives her an early advantage in the second game.

She then lets the ball drop… nerves? An double fault would suggest potentially.

Good enough though and we are level.

An unforced error puts Badosa in trouble early and Sabalenka finds herself 30-0 up early on.

Better thoiugh in the next couple of points and an unforced error from the favourite puts us level.

She takes the first game.

The winner of this game will play Anhelina Kalinina in round three of the tournament. This is round two – Sabalenka had a bye in round one.

Look at the rain earlier in Miami, by the way. Chaos.

The players have arrived for the game. All focus on Sabalenka, who is on the grand stand court to get underway with the tournamet.

It’s just the stadium and grand stand courts in play for now.

Hello! We are back! Everyone still awake?

Sabalenka, we believe, is about to take to the grandstand court for her match against Badosa, what feels like 50 hours after she was supposed to.

It’s dry for now. Time will tell, but I think it’s time for some tennis…

Sky Sports have now reported that the start of today’s play has been pushed back until 6pm GMT due to the heavy rain in Miami.

And going off the forecast for the rest of today, it could take even longer for the action to finally get going.

Sabalenka’s match with Badosa is due up first when action does hopefully get going.

But for now we will pause our live updates and be back with you for what hopefully should be a cracker of a match later on today.

Make sure to keep up to date with Mail Sport meanwhile for all the latest tennis news and updates from the Miami Open.

No updates from the Miami Open organisers but here is the latest forecast for today and it doesn’t look good for play to get going!

Be more ice skating than tennis out on that court it looks that slippy as the rain continues to hammer down in Miami. Could be still some way off though.

We have been getting updates at the half past the hour so we could be getting another update in just over ten minutes time.

Rain delays must be such a pain for tennis stars especially when it’s uncertain whether their matches will go ahead on the day or not.

But they’re incredible professionals and Sky Sports Tennis has shown Carlos Alcaraz, Andy Murray and Grigor Dimitrov getting their workouts and stretches in regardless just in case they do turn out onto the court today.

While we are delayed in Miami, an interesting sidebit from yesterday as Victoria Azarenka’s ex-boyfriend – a muscian named Redfoo (formerly of LMFAO if you remember them) was in attendance to cheer on her opponent Peyton Stearns.

Redfoo made no secret of who he was supporting and it wasn’t his partner of late 2012 to early 2014.

Azarenka got the last laugh as she claimed the victory in three sets.

The action has been pushed back another hour and will start no earlier than 1pm in Miami – 5pm GMT.

Former World No 1 Jimmy Connors has hit out at people who have questioned Sabalenka’s decision to carry on at the Miami Open after the death of her former boyfriend.

With all due respect, there are some things that people should keep their comments to themselves on. Unless you’re really in her shoes, and you know what she’s going through and what her thoughts are, it’s better to stay away,” he said on the Advantage Connors podcast.

Even though that is devastating, how she takes it, only she knows. She would be criticized if she pulled out or she’s gonna be criticized if she continues to play, because that’s just the way people are

Back in the day, when I was playing, tennis was a good escape for me. (I was) going through a lot of things and a lot happening, (so) to go out, it gives you a mental break; it takes your mind away from a lot of things that are happening away from the court.

It’s her choice and it’s how she tries to deal with it on her own. And my thoughts go out to her because I know tennis is a tough enough game to go out and play against your opponent; to work; to train; and to try to be as good as she is, let alone with something outside the court that is as devastating as this to have on your mind.’

Andy Murray is also in action today as he goes up against Tomas Etcheverry after seeing off Matteo Berretini in the last round.

He has had plenty of joy in Miami since making his debut 18 years ago, winning in 2009 and 2013, and is dreaming of one more shot at glory on his swansong appearance.

The former world number one pulled off an impressive comeback victory to reach the second round of the Miami Open before writing on the courtside camera to declare a message to the watching fans.

Click below to read more…

Sky Sports Tennis report that there is heavy rain expected for the next three or four hours with thunderstorms expected later this evening.

Just a reminder that there is no roof on any of the courts used for the Miami Open which is why there is no action at this moment in time.

Coco Gauff was supposed to be in action here at the same as Sabalenka’s match against Badosa but it’s looking very empty at the moment.

This image from Sky Sports Tennis is not what you think of when you think of Miami!

A host of the sport’s biggest names are in action today but there could be a lot of thumb-twiddling depending on how conditions improve in Miami today.

Also in early matches today are scheduled to be Coco Gauff against Nadia Podoroska and Andrey Rublev against Tomas Machac.

Other big names on the schedule include Jannik Sinner, Iga Swiatek and Andy Murray.

Here is what is due to happen on the Stadium, Grandstand and Butch Buchholz’s courts today.

• [3] Coco Gauff (USA) v [Q] Nadia Podoroska (ARG)
• [2] Jannik Sinner (ITA) v [Q] Andrea Vavassori (ITA)
• [12] Taylor Fritz (USA) v [Q] Thiago Seyboth Wild (BRA)
• [1] Iga Swiatek (POL) v Camila Giorgi (ITA)
• [3] Daniil Medvedev (RUS) v Marton Fucsovics (HUN)

• [2] Aryna Sabalenka (RUS) v [PR] Paula Badosa (ESP)
• [10] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) v [PR] Denis Shapovalov (CAN)
• [5] Jessica Pegula (USA) v Zhu Lin (CHN)
• [15] Elina Svitolina (UKR) v [PR] Naomi Osaka (JPN)
• [21] Frances Tiafoe (USA) v Christopher O’Connell (AUS)

• [5] Andrey Rublev (RUS) v Tomas Machac (CZE)
• [29] Tomas Martin Etcheverry (ARG) v Andy Murray (GBR)
• [7] Casper Ruud (NOR) v Luca Van Assche (FRA)
• [19] Sorana Cirstea (ROU) v Sloane Stephens (USA)
• [6] Ons Jabeur (TUN) v [Q] Elina Avanesyan (RUS)

Beautiful weather is one of the first things you think of when it comes to Miami but when it rains then it can really come down.

Shame for those who are in attendance who got there early to catch the start of action but hopefully their wait isn’t too long!

The Miami Open has confirmed that there will be no action until 12pm local time – 4pm GMT.

It was the second tragedy in the space of five years for the World No 2.

Koltsov played for national team in the 2002 and 2010 Winter Olympics and also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL.

Tuesday’s shocking news bears haunting similarities to a previous tragedy in Sabalenka’s life.

Her father, Sergey, was also a former professional hockey star and died aged 43 in 2019.

Click below to read more…

Well Miami-Dade and Broward counties are under a flood watch and wind advisory through Saturday evening, as per CBS News.

The National Weather Service’s storm prediction centre has placed South Florida under a Level 1 (low) risk of heavy rain, flooding, hail and isolated tornadoes.

South Florida could see three to five inches of rain.

It’s a star-studded day so let’s hope the rain stays away!

The Australian Open champion is looking to continue her successful year on-court as she kickstarts her Miami Open campaign.

Last year she only made the quarter-finals where she suffered a shock defeat to Sorana Cirstea.

That is her best effort at the competition to date, and the same can be said for Badosa who reached the quarter-finals back in 2022.

What Sabalenka might appreciate in her return to the court today is the fact that the person staring at her from the other side of the net will be her best friend Paula Badosa.

Badosa has admitted that she has been in constant contact with the Belarusian since the death of Sabalenka’s former partner.

The Spaniard has admitted it will be ‘uncomfortable’ to play her best friend after such a tragedy.

Though the pair have faced each other four times on tour so far, their time together transcends off the court.

Click below to read more…

Given what happened you would not blame Aryna Sabalenka if she wanted to pull out of the Miami Open.

But she decided to continue her preparations for the Miami Open and has been pictured in training this week.

Ahead of her Round of 64 match against her best friend, Spain’s Paula Badosa, on Friday, Sabalenka took to court to work on her forehand and serve Wednesday afternoon.

Despite grieving, the Belarusian tennis star channeled her focus into her training with her coaches.

At one point, Sabalenka, who appeared be grimacing at times, wiped her face with an orange towel as she took a break on a court-side bench.

Police confirmed on Tuesday that Koltsov, who had been dating Sabalenka for three years, died at the age of 42 on Monday in an ‘apparant suicide’.

Sabalenka, breaking her silence on social media, said they were ‘no longer together’ at the time of his death but that ‘her heart is broken’.

Click below to read more…

Good afternoon and welcome to Mail Sport’s live coverage of Aryna Sabalenka’s Miami Open match against Paula Badosa.

It will be an emotional day for the World No 2, who plays her first match since the death of her former boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov.

We will be bringing you all the build-up and latest before play gets going at 3pm.