Miami Open: Iga Swiatek wins - and will be the new number 1 from Monday
Iga Swiatek will succeed Ashleigh Barty from Monday.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Mar 26, 2022, 07:58 am
In her opening match in Miami, Swiatek beat Viktorija Golubic from Switzerland 6:2, 6:0 and thus secured the number 1 position in the tennis world. Because: Ashleigh Barty, currently the clear leader in the world rankings, surprisingly announced her retirement from tennis on Wednesday . And announced that she would apply for her name to be removed from the world rankings .
Barty will therefore already "voluntarily" vacate her place at the top on Monday. Swiatek, on the other hand, who is number 2 for the first time this week (after her win in Indian Wells), will move up, which is now certain thanks to her opening win in Miami.
Swiatek: "My goal has only been two days"
Swiatek was surprised on the pitch by Tournament Director James Blake and Lindsay Davenport after the match, flowers included.
"It's quite strange," she said of the number 1. "It's only been my goal for two days and now it's happened so quickly."
At 20, Swiatek is the youngest number 1 since Caroline Wozniacki in 2010, and the first woman from Poland to top tennis. Chris Evert provided the first women's number 1 in 1975.
Swiatek surprisingly won the French Open in autumn 2020, as number 54 in the world. Since then she has continued to play her way forward with stable performances.
Sakkari out, Fruhvirtova surprised
In addition to Swiatek, Paula Badosa, Victoria Azarenka and Petra Kvitova were also successful in Miami on Friday.
Maria Sakkari, currently third in the world rankings, was surprisingly eliminated after beating Beatriz Haddad Maia 6:4, 1:6, 2:6.
Meanwhile, the young Czech Linda Fruhvirtova caused a small sensation: The 16-year-old, number 279 via wildcard in the field, beat Elise Mertens 7: 5, 2: 6, 6: 1 and celebrated her first triumph over a top 50 -player