MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Iga Swiatek finished her run to No. 1 in the women’s rankings in perfect fashion.
Swiatek continued her blazing start to 2022 on Saturday, beating Naomi Osaka 6-4, 6-0 to win the women’s title at the Miami Open and extend her winning streak to 17 matches.
Swiatek, who will replace the now-retired Ashleigh Barty at No. 1 in the women’s ranking officially when points are updated on Monday, also completed the so-called ‘Sunshine Double’ — winning Indian Wells and Miami in the same season. She is the fourth woman to achieve it, joining Victoria Azarenka (2016), Kim Clijsters (2005) and Steffi Graf (1994 and 1996).
“This tournament has so much energy,” Swiatek said.
Swiatek’s homeland is Poland, which has seen more than 2 million people enter from war-torn Ukraine in recent weeks. Swiatek took a moment during his trophy ceremony to acknowledge that those refugees are on his mind.
“As I did in my previous speeches in Doha and Indian Wells, I want to tell Ukraine to stay strong,” Swiatek said. “Everything is going to get better”.
Swiatek broke Osaka for a 3-2 lead in the first set, holding on from there to win a 52-minute battle that saw the opening game — on Osaka’s serve — include seven forty-one and last 10 minutes. .
The second set was a completely different story. Break, hold, break, hold, break and that was it, as Swiatek wrapped up his ninth consecutive straight-sets victory. It was his third title of 2022 and his sixth consecutive victory in a final, a streak that began at the delayed Roland Garros in 2020.
Swiatek, who did not face a single break point, earned $1,231,245 for the win. Osaka received $646,110 for reaching the final.
Osaka came into the tournament ranked No. 77 in the world, though she certainly didn’t play like there are 76 better women on tour than her right now — beating players seeded in Angelique Kerber, Danielle Collins and Belinda Bencic en route to the final.
Osaka rose as high as No. 13 earlier this year, saw her ranking take a big hit when she was eliminated early at the Australian Open, and will likely move up to No. 36 when the numbers are officially updated on Monday.
Miami was her first final since winning the 2021 Australian Open.
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– wta (@WTA) April 2, 2022
“It makes me feel so good, it makes so many feel so good, to see you happy on court again,” tournament director James Blake told Osaka during the trophy ceremony.
As the cheers from the fans grew louder after Blake said that, Osaka eventually broke into a wide smile.
Osaka has been open about her struggles with depression and her work with mental health since winning the 2018 US Open over Serena Williams. She withdrew from last year’s Roland Garros, left last year’s US Open in tears and cried again over a spectator’s comment in Indian Wells last month.
But in Miami, everything was joy.
“I want to dedicate this to everyone who supports me, my fans,” Osaka said as she held up the escort crystal trophy. “I know I haven’t been in this position for a little minute. I know it’s not the result you wanted, but I’m having fun here.”
Swiatek also had kind words for Osaka after the match: “This sport is better with you,” the soon-to-be No. 1 told the former women’s tennis No. 1.
Swiatek would still be No. 2 in the rankings if Barty hadn’t dropped out or asked to be removed from the list. But the gap between 1 and 2 in that situation would have been closer — Barty led Swiatek by 2,204 points when the Miami Open began and would have seen that margin trimmed to 269 points on Monday.
The men’s final in Miami is on Sunday when sixth seed Casper Ruud takes on No. 14 Carlos Alcaraz.
