Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark

The cream is rising to the top at the Sony Ericsson Miami Open. Second seed Princess Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark withstood an early match challenge from Russian glamour girl Maria kirilenko, the 32 seed, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4 to lead a bevy of highly seeded players into the round of 16. At the outset Kirilenko, breezed with such ease that it appeared the Dane was outclassed.

As she has done of late, Caroline found a way back to form after the first set and relying on her sound ground game and improved serve, overtook the fleet Russian.

When Victoria Azarenka, the defending champion, put aside capable Czech combatant Lucie Safarova, 6-4, 6-2, all four top seeds made the round of 16, a far cry from last week’s debacle at Indian Wells. Things will get even more interesting from here on ouit. Joining the top four seeds are three impressive Belgians, Kim Clijsters, Justine Henin and Yanina Wickmayer, all in different brackets.

Throw in hot playing Jalena Jankovic, hard serving Samantha Stosur, dominating Russian Vera Zvonareva and Agnes Radwanska and this event has a final sixteen loaded with talent.

In strong form, Vera Zvonareva crushed Italian slammer Sara Errani 6-2, 6-3 in what was expected to be a challenging match. When Vera is on her game, she is a match for anyone. The great Belgian star, Justine Henin, earned a match against Zvonareva with a solid 6-4, 6-4 win over 26 seed retriever Dominika Cibulkva.

Henin suffered a break at 5-3 in the second set but stormed back at love to end the match. The key to the Zvonareva-Henin match will be the serve. The two tested players can both become tentative in clutch service games.

With Clijsters’ efficient 6-0, 6-1 fifty minute dismissal of veteran Shahar Peer, Kim looks read for perhaps the most fierce match of the tournament. The defending champion, Azarenka, is waiting in the wings for the 2009 U.S. Open champ.

Stosur and Jankovic will be facing each other for the second time in two weeks. Jankovic walked through Stosur last week on the way to her Indian Wells Championship. Stosur put down France’s Virgine Razzano in her second straight three set match 4-6, 7-5, 6-1.

Wozniacki will feel a lot more pressure in her next contest against fast improving Russian Anastasia Paylyuchenkova who upset 16 seed Francesca Schiavone.

The 20-year old Wickmayer looks well positioned to advance against Na Li, upset winner Times Bacsinszky. Wickmayer is playing with all her force thus far this week and could well emerge from the top bracket.

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