Tennis: World number one Halep crashes out of Miami Open

Simona Halep of Romania reacts after losing a point against Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland. PHOTO: USA TODAY SPORTS

MIAMI (AFP) - World number one Simona Halep tumbled out of the Miami Open on Saturday (March 24), falling 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 to Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska.

The third-round defeat comes a week after Romania's Halep was toppled in the semi-finals at Indian Wells by Japan's Naomi Osaka, who went on to win the title in the California desert.

Halep's exit leaves the women's field in the hardcourt tournament without its top two seeds, after second-seeded Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki lost to Monica Puig on Friday.

Despite the defeat, Halep is assured of retaining the number one spot when the rankings are updated at the end of the tournament.

Radwanska, the 2012 Miami champion, hadn't posted back-to-back match victories since January.

She'll face either 20th-seeded Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia or former world number one Victoria Azarenka of Belarus for a place in the quarter-finals.

Azarenka is unseeded this year as she vies to get her career on track after taking time off to have a baby.

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