Three-time Miami Open champion Victoria Azarenka moved one step closer to another title in Florida with a grueling 7-6(4), 1-6, 6-3 victory over Yulia Putintseva in their Tuesday quarterfinal clash.

No.27 seed Azarenka needed 2 hours and 55 minutes of play to fend off unseeded Putintseva and clinch a spot in the Miami semifinals for the fifth time in her career. 

"Very happy with today's win," Azarenka said afterwards. "It's good to be back in the later stages of the tournament, it's what I work for, so definitely very happy to go through."

Miami legacy: Former World No.1 Azarenka is playing Miami for the 15th time, having won the title in 2009, 2011 and 2016. She has 43 career match-wins at the event, fifth-most behind only Serena Williams (76), Venus Williams (67), Stefanie Graf (59) and Gabriela Sabatini (45).

Azarenka, who has won 10 WTA 1000 titles since that tier was created in 2009, continues to build her stats at this tournament level. Only Simona Halep (29) and Serena Williams (26) have made more WTA 1000 semifinals than Azarenka (24).

Another thriller in the books: Azarenka is now 3-0 against Putintseva, but all of their matches have been tight and dramatic. In their two previous meetings, Azarenka needed a match-tiebreak to win at Melbourne's Grampians Trophy in 2021, and she clinched a 7-5 third set to prevail at 2022 Doha.

It was another gripping encounter between the pair on Tuesday. Azarenka had to save three set points on Putintseva's serve at 5-4 in the first set, then missed out on two set points of her own at 6-5 before they entered a crucial first-set tiebreak.

Azarenka fired a series of excellent forehands in the latter stages of that breaker, finally wrapping up a topsy-turvy first set after 90 minutes of action. The players also shook off a 45-minute delay in the fourth game of the match due to a power outage.

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Putintseva, a former Top 30 player currently ranked No.68, bounced back better in the second set, leveling the match by winning the last nine points of the set. However, Azarenka halted Putintseva's momentum when she saved two break points in a key hold to open the third set.

Azarenka started to zone in on her return game and was rewarded with two breaks in a row to lead 5-1. Putintseva saved a match point at 5-2 and held for 5-3, lining up another engrossing ending within their rivalry, but Azarenka served out the match at the second time of asking.

"I think Yulia played a really good match," Azarenka said. "She's an incredible fighter. I do feel like this year she improved. She plays a little bit more aggressive. She doesn't give you two of the same balls, so you constantly need to be adjusting and adapting. 

"The way I came out in that third set was very decisive," Azarenka added. "I think I executed my game plan really well, and closing out, especially at 5-3, I think it was pretty strong."

Next up: Azarenka is now a win away from her fourth Miami final, and her first since she successfully completed the Sunshine Double (winning Indian Wells and Miami back-to-back) in 2016.

Her semifinal opponent will be No.4 seed Elena Rybakina, who outlasted No.8 seed Maria Sakkari in the evening quarterfinal on Tuesday.

Azarenka has already amassed 78 Top 10 wins in her career, including over No.7 Zheng Qinwen earlier this fortnight. However, Rybakina has defeated Azarenka in all three of their previous meetings.