Swiatek became the youngest woman in history to achieve the Sunshine Double, winning the Indian Wells and Miami Open in the same season.
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It might have been the final of the 2022 Miami Open but Polish tennis sensation Iga Swiatek made it look like just another game. On Saturday, the imminent world no. 1 beat Naomi Osaka to win the competition in a comprehensive manner. The scoreline at the end of the match read 6-4, 6-0 in the Pole’s favour after an hour and 17 minutes of play. Swiatek also became the youngest woman in history to achieve the Sunshine Double, winning the Indian Wells and Miami Open in the same season. The likes of Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka, and Stefanie Graf have achieved this feat earlier.
“I feel pretty privileged that I can be amongst those players, because I wouldn’t even dream of it a few years ago,” Swiatek said. “I knew it’s going to be tough playing these two tournaments in a row. I realized at the end it’s just another match and I took it step by step.”
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The match began with a tense 10-minute game in which Osaka saved two break points and fought off seven deuces before holding. Swiatek took the first break of the day with a backhand crosscourt winner to take a 3-2 lead. The match began with a tense 10-minute game in which Osaka saved two break points and fought off seven deuces before holding. Swiatek took the first break of the day with a backhand crosscourt winner to take a 3-2 lead.
Swiatek won the final seven games of the match to extend her incredible winning streak. Swiatek never faced a break point and won two-thirds of Osaka’s second-serve points (20 for 30).
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Swiatek has been on an absolute tear this season, recording her career-best winning run. With her win against Osaka, the 20-year-old has now won 17 consecutive matches, which indeed is an outstanding achievement. The Pole has won all three WTA 1000 competitions this season, joining the likes of Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki as the only players to win three or more consecutive WTA 1000 competitions. However, the Pole is the first woman in history to win the first three WTA 1000 competitions in a season.
“I learned a lot about myself, that I can keep going, and really I don’t need to feel like 100 percent on points to win matches against great players,” Swiatek said. “I can trust myself a little bit more right now. I really used that streak to have more confidence, and also the ranking.”
