Errani and Paolini Advance to Miami Open Quarterfinals Despite On-Court Incident

Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini of Italy have secured their place in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Miami Open presented by Itaú, overcoming Tereza Mihalikova and Olivia Nicholls in the Round of 16. Their path to the quarterfinals wasn’t without a bizarre incident during a previous match, however, as Paolini was struck by a stray shot from Errani during their Round of 32 victory over Shuko Aoyama and Ulrikke Eikeri.

Doubles Success in Miami

The Italian duo initially demonstrated their prowess by defeating Aoyama and Eikeri 6-3, 6-2 in the Round of 32. However, the match concluded with an unusual moment: a misfired serve from Errani inadvertently hit Paolini in the head at match point. Essentially Sports reported that Paolini was momentarily stunned but quickly recovered after being checked on by Errani.

Round of 16 Victory

Building on their earlier win, Errani and Paolini continued their strong performance, defeating Mihalikova and Nicholls to reach the quarterfinals. The match score was not immediately available, but Yahoo Sports confirms their advancement. The match is scheduled for March 23, 2026.

Player Profiles

Sara Errani (Italy): Born April 29, 1987 (age 38), Errani is a seasoned doubles competitor.

Jasmine Paolini (Italy): Born January 4, 1996 (age 30), Paolini has shown strong form in both singles and doubles play at the Miami Open, having previously defeated Taylor Townsend in three sets.

Tereza Mihalikova (Slovakia): Born June 2, 1998 (age 27).

Olivia Nicholls (Great Britain): Born October 26, 1994 (age 31).

Tournament Details

The Miami Open presented by Itaú is a WTA 1000 event taking place at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, United States, with a total prize pool of $9,415,725. The tournament is played on a hard court surface.