British number one Johanna Konta has been knocked out of the Miami Open in the fourth round by three-time champion Venus Williams.
Defending champion Konta, ranked 14th in the world, won the first set but eventually lost 5-7 6-1 6-2.
The 26-year-old had beaten world number eight Williams in straight sets in the semi-finals 12 months ago.
Williams, 37, will play fellow American Danielle Collins, who beat Monica Puig 3-6 6-4 6-2, in the quarter-finals.
The first set lasted just over an hour and Konta saved set point to turn it in her favour and take the early advantage.
But Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, cruised through the second set to even the score, with Konta requiring a medical timeout before the deciding set.
The Briton hit three aces in a row to save a break point in the third set, but Williams continued her dominant comeback to serve for the match.
If you watched the first set of the fourth-round match between Venus Williams and Johanna Konta at the Miami Open, you'd have thought Williams' bid for the title was over.
Konta was playing tremendous tennis to start the match, mixing up her shots and minimizing her mistakes. The world No. 14 looked in control, taking the opener 7-5, but it all went south from there.
Williams can never be counted out. She turned her game up a level to steamroll through the next two sets, 6-1, 6-2. A lot of that had to do with the way Konta just fell apart.
"The first set was definitely all her, and she came up with some amazing shots to break me at 5-all," Williams said. "There was not much I could do there, except hope I could keep up in the second and third sets."
Match point from Williams' win over Konta in Miami:
Williams deserves a lot of credit for keeping points alive and choosing her spots wisely, but her main job in the second set was allowing Konta to get in her own way, which is exactly what the Brit did.
After looking like a serious contender to defend her title, Konta began to play erratically. She struggled to win points on her second serve (taking just 32 percent), and she wasn't solid on her first serve either, winning just 64 percent of those points. Williams is never afraid to go for her returns, and Konta could not find a rhythm.
The world No. 8's 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 win is her 64th career victory at the Miami Open. Williams' quarterfinal opponent will be either Danielle Collins or Monica Puig. She's seeking her first title since February 2016.
Slam winners dominate quarter-final draw
Williams is one of five Grand Slam winners to reach the last eight in Key Biscayne.
US Open champion Sloane Stephens eased past Spanish third seed Garbine Muguruza, the reigning Wimbledon champion, with a 6-3 6-4 victory in one hour and 28 minutes.
Germany's two-time Grand Slam winner Angelique Kerber will face Stephens after defeating Yafan Wang of China 6-7 (1-7) 7-6 (7-5) 6-3, while Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, a two-time winner of the Australian Open, beat Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 6-2 6-2.
She meets Czech Republic's fifth seed Karolina Pliskova, who won when Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan retired hurt while trailing 6-2 2-1.
Fourth seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine advanced with a 7-5 6-4 win over Australian Ashleigh Barty and will play Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko.
Ostapenko - who won last year's French Open - completed the quarter-final line-up with a 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 win over Czech Petra Kvitova.
Defending champion Konta, ranked 14th in the world, won the first set but eventually lost 5-7 6-1 6-2.
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| Venus Williams is looking like a real threat to win the Miami Open. (AP) |
The 26-year-old had beaten world number eight Williams in straight sets in the semi-finals 12 months ago.
Williams, 37, will play fellow American Danielle Collins, who beat Monica Puig 3-6 6-4 6-2, in the quarter-finals.
The first set lasted just over an hour and Konta saved set point to turn it in her favour and take the early advantage.
But Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, cruised through the second set to even the score, with Konta requiring a medical timeout before the deciding set.
The Briton hit three aces in a row to save a break point in the third set, but Williams continued her dominant comeback to serve for the match.
If you watched the first set of the fourth-round match between Venus Williams and Johanna Konta at the Miami Open, you'd have thought Williams' bid for the title was over.
Konta was playing tremendous tennis to start the match, mixing up her shots and minimizing her mistakes. The world No. 14 looked in control, taking the opener 7-5, but it all went south from there.
Williams can never be counted out. She turned her game up a level to steamroll through the next two sets, 6-1, 6-2. A lot of that had to do with the way Konta just fell apart.
"The first set was definitely all her, and she came up with some amazing shots to break me at 5-all," Williams said. "There was not much I could do there, except hope I could keep up in the second and third sets."
Match point from Williams' win over Konta in Miami:
Williams deserves a lot of credit for keeping points alive and choosing her spots wisely, but her main job in the second set was allowing Konta to get in her own way, which is exactly what the Brit did.
After looking like a serious contender to defend her title, Konta began to play erratically. She struggled to win points on her second serve (taking just 32 percent), and she wasn't solid on her first serve either, winning just 64 percent of those points. Williams is never afraid to go for her returns, and Konta could not find a rhythm.
The world No. 8's 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 win is her 64th career victory at the Miami Open. Williams' quarterfinal opponent will be either Danielle Collins or Monica Puig. She's seeking her first title since February 2016.
Slam winners dominate quarter-final draw
Williams is one of five Grand Slam winners to reach the last eight in Key Biscayne.
US Open champion Sloane Stephens eased past Spanish third seed Garbine Muguruza, the reigning Wimbledon champion, with a 6-3 6-4 victory in one hour and 28 minutes.
Germany's two-time Grand Slam winner Angelique Kerber will face Stephens after defeating Yafan Wang of China 6-7 (1-7) 7-6 (7-5) 6-3, while Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, a two-time winner of the Australian Open, beat Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 6-2 6-2.
She meets Czech Republic's fifth seed Karolina Pliskova, who won when Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan retired hurt while trailing 6-2 2-1.
Fourth seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine advanced with a 7-5 6-4 win over Australian Ashleigh Barty and will play Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko.
Ostapenko - who won last year's French Open - completed the quarter-final line-up with a 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 win over Czech Petra Kvitova.
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