WTA Miami: Iga Swiatek fixes dream final against Naomi Osaka
Iga Swiatek has reached the final of the WTA Tour 1000 tournament in Miami with her 16th match win in a row. Waiting there is four-time Major winner Naomi Osaka .
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Apr 01, 2022, 07:25 am
At the beginning of the second set in the second semi-final at the WTA Tour 1000 tournament in Miami, it briefly looked as if Jessica Pegula could become the woman who at least questioned Iga Swiatek's winning streak. Local hero Pegula was able to take Swiatek's serve to make it 3-1, something like a sensation in the Miami night air. Swiatek equalized immediately, Pegula, who was 16th, got the next break in the sixth game.
But with the self-confidence of the last few weeks, crowned by the championships in Doha and Indian Wells, the Pole, who will take over the lead in the WTA world rankings from the retired Ashleigh Barty from Monday, will find many things easier to do. As was the rest of the match against Pegula. Swiatek won 6:2 and 7:5 after a playing time of 1:48 hours.
Osaka continues with problems against Bencic
In the final there is now a meeting with the reinvigorated Naomi Osaka. The Japanese had her hands full with Belinda Bencic, but finally prevailed 4: 6, 6: 3 and 6: 4. And reached the final in Miami for the first time. And so a four-time Grand Slam winner (Osaka won the US Open and Australian Open twice each) and a one-time Major winner (Swiatek won the 2020 French Open) will decide the title in Miami.
If you go by the results of the recent past, Iga Swiatek is probably the favorite in the final. Osaka, however, only had problems against Bencic in the current tournament - and showed in the decisive phases that she and her serve are to be expected again.
Osaka and Swiatek have only played against each other once: in Toronto in the summer of 2019. At that time, the Japanese was able to assert herself in two sets.
Here is the individual tableau in Miami
miamimap