Halep Favourite For Miami Masters

Newly crowned Indian Wells champion Simona Halep is the current favourite to win the 2015 Miami Masters on the eve of the tournament. This favouritism is in light of world number one Serena Williams picking up an injury just prior to her Indian Wells semi-final clash with the Romanian. Her withdrawal from the competition left Halep to face Jelena Jankovic in the final, the 23-year-old coming back from only winning two games in the first set. Set two was won 7-5 by Halep before sealing the third by six games to four.

As Williams` straining of one of her quadriceps has left her out of the Miami Masters, Halep can be backed at 4/1 (32red, 888sport, unibet) to take the US title.

The favourite has been installed as such in spite of a poor previous record in the competition. The world number three has twice exited at the third round stage, her best ever finish, before withdrawing prior to last year`s tournament having sustained an injury to one of her toes. Marion Bartoli defeated Halep in the third round in 2012, this year`s market leader losing the first set 6-4 before losing out on the second by a tie-break. A year later, she would only scoop one game as she fell at the hands of Italy`s Sara Errani in the third round (6-1, 6-0).

The Constanta-born star is in form, her reigning supreme in the Paribas Open following another two yearly title achievements. Halep took home China`s Shenzhen Open in her first tournament of the year, beating Timea Bacsinszky 6-2, 6-2 in the final before earning herself the Dubai Duty Free Championship. Carolina Pliskova was dispatched 6-4, 7-6 in that final.

Halep`s nearest market rival at the moment is Maria Sharapova, the Russian being a five-time runner-up (2005, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013). The 6`2" world number two will be hoping to go one better this time round with odds of 9/2 (32red, 888sport, unibet).

Perhaps Sharapova is fancied slightly less than Halep despite her good history in the tournament after failing to pick up a yearly WTA title since her win in Brisbane at the start of the year. The Nyagan-born star has played in three tournaments since coming from behind to beat Ana Ivanovic in the final in Australia (6-7, 6-3, 6-3), not triumphing in any. The Florida resident did, however, reach the final of the season`s first Grand Slam, the Australian Open, losing out to Serena Williams in the final in straight sets (6-3, 7-6).

Other than Halep and Sharapova, Belarusian Victoria Azarenka is also well fancied to do well in this US tournament. The Minsk-born athlete is a two-time former winner of the Miami Masters, having picked up the trophy back in 2009 and 2011 and is available for selection at odds of 11/1 (32Red, 888Sport, unibet).

Azarenka`s recent record in the tournament is sketchy having lost in the quarter-finals of the 2012 competition to Bartoli before withdrawing from the 2013 competition with a ankle injury. The 36 rank failed to show for the 2014 tournament.

This season she is yet to secure a title though does have good pieces of form overall. The 6` player reached the final of the Doha Open before losing out in straight sets to Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic (6-4, 6-3). She had previously beaten both Caroline Wozniacki (world number 5) and Venus Williams (ranked 17) in that tournament.

Both Wozniacki and Safarova can be backed at 27/1 (both 32red, 888Sport, unibet) to rule supreme in the Miami Masters. Meanwhile, Madison Keys is a 40/1 shot (32Red, 888Sport, Unibet) to steal the title on home soil.

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23/03/2015     © Frixo 2024