\n<\/p>\n
Victoria Azarenka continued her bid for a fourth Miami Open title with victory over Yulia Putintseva to set up a semi-final encounter with Elena Rybakina.<\/b><\/p>\n
The Belarusian 27th seed, who won her last title at the event in 2016, needed almost three hours to claim a 7-6 (7-4) 1-6 6-3 win against Putintseva.<\/p>\n
Fourth seed Rybakina beat Greek eighth seed Maria Sakkari 7-5 6-7 (4-7) 6-4.<\/p>\n
On the other side of the draw, American Danielle Collins<\/b> beat French 23rd seed Caroline Garcia<\/b> 6-3 6-2 on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Former Australian Open runner-up Collins, 30, is planning to retire from the WTA Tour at the end of the season.<\/p>\n
She is one more win away from reaching her first final since losing to Ashleigh Barty at Melbourne Park in 2022.<\/p>\n
Collins will face Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova, who backed up her win against world number one Iga Swiatek with a hard-fought victory against fifth seed Jessica Pegula.<\/p>\n
Alexandrova, the 14th seed, claimed the decisive break to go 5-4 up in the third set before serving out the victory to reach just her second WTA 1,000 event semi-final.<\/p>\n
“This one was incredible,” Alexandrova said.<\/p>\n
“It was so difficult to play this match to the end and win. It’s the biggest achievement for me on this court and semi-final is a great bonus.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n