Iga Swiatek cruised past Naomi Osaka 6-4 6-0 in Saturday’s final of the Miami Open to become only the fourth WTA player in history to complete the Indian Wells-Miami double in the same season and the first woman to win the year’s opening three WTA 1000 tournaments. The Pole is sure rising to the No.1 singles ranking in style!
The second-seeded Swiatek started troubling Osaka from the onset, as the Japanese managed to hold serve in the opening game after seven deuces and two saved break points. Osaka’s resistance didn’t last long, as Swiatek relatively comfortably went up a break, 4-2, and confidently held on to that lead to take the first set.
There’s not much to say about the second set, as Swiatek absolutely dominated Osaka, only the second unseeded woman to reach Miami final.
The 20-year-old Swiatek is now riding a career-best 17-match winning streak. Having also triumphed at Doha in February and Indian Wells in March, she has joined Serena Williams (2013 – Miami, Madrid, Rome, Toronto) and Caroline Wozniacki (2010 – Montreal, Tokyo, Beijing) as the only players to win three or more consecutive WTA 1000 titles in a single season. Wozniacki holds the record for the longest streak of WTA 1000 titles, winning five at the end of 2010 and start of 2011 (Montreal, Tokyo, Beijing, Dubai and Indian Wells).
After a first-round bye, Swiatek defeated Viktorija Golubic in the second round, Madison Brengle in the third, Cori Gauff in the fourth, Petra Kvitova in the quarterfinals, and Jessica Pegula in the semifinals, before recording her first ever victory over Osaka.
Iga Swiatek’s winning gear in Miami: Asics Spring Match Graphic Tank, Asics Spring Match Skirt, and Asics Gel Resolution 8 tennis shoes.
The Hologic WTA Tour will have a new No.1 on Monday, as Iga Swiatek will make her debut at the top spot (the first Polish tennis player to achieve the feat). Having entered the Miami Open with her place in Top 100 under threat, the former world No.1 Osaka is projected to move from No.77 to No.36 by reaching the final.