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IMAGE: Poland’s Iga Swiatek poses with the Butch Buchholz trophy after defeating Japan’s Naomi Osaka within the girls’s closing of the Miami Open at Exhausting Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on Saturday. {Photograph}: Matthew Stockman/Getty Photographs
Poland’s Iga Swiatek will take over the world primary rating in type after holding her outstanding profitable run intact with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Japan’s Naomi Osaka within the Miami Open closing on Saturday.
The Polish second seed, who will take over the world primary rating subsequent week, didn’t drop a set in Miami and has now gained 17 consecutive matches relationship again to her championship run on the Qatar Open in February.
With the victory, the 20-year-old Swiatek turns into solely the fourth lady to win the Indian Wells and Miami tournaments back-to-back, a feat generally known as the “Sunshine Double” given the tournaments’ respective areas in California and Florida.
“These weeks had been so intense I did not actually know if I’d in a position to sustain with the streak that I’ve,” mentioned Swiatek, who additionally grew to become the primary lady to win the opening three WTA 1000 tournaments in a season.
“It is superb for me that I may present psychological toughness as a result of my complete life I believed I may do extra and generally I used to be dropping and I did not even know why.
“This season I really feel like every part clicked so it is nice and I’m actually pleased.”
The 2 gamers wasted no time entering into the warmth of the battle because the match started with a wild seven-deuce opening recreation throughout which four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka saved two break factors and fired down 4 aces to carry serve.
IMAGE: Naomi Osaka makes a backhand return to Iga Swiatek. {Photograph}: Michael Reaves/Getty Photographs
The match remained on serve till Swiatek broke Osaka when she ripped a superb crosscourt backhand winner to go forward 3-2 after which went on to shut out the primary set with out dealing with a break level regardless of serving beneath 40 p.c.
The previous French Open champion raised her degree within the second the place she broke Osaka 3 times to race out to a 5-0 lead and by no means regarded again as she sealed the 79-minute match on her first championship level when Osaka despatched a forehand huge.
Swiatek is the primary girls to finish the “Sunshine Double” since Victoria Azarenka in 2016. Kim Clijsters (2005) and Steffi Graf (1994, 1996) are the opposite girls to perform the feat.
Osaka arrived in Florida following a second-round loss at Indian Wells the place she was decreased to tears after being heckled through the match however she proved resilient as she would solely drop one set en path to the Miami closing.
Within the closing, Osaka did properly to carry serve in a difficult 10-minute recreation to start out the match and whereas she was not in a position to do a lot towards a decided Swiatek after that she nonetheless held her head excessive.
“I have not been on this place for a little bit minute,” mentioned the 24-year-old Osaka, who took a break from the game final 12 months to prioritise her psychological well being.
“I do know this is not the end result that you just guys needed however I’m having lots of enjoyable out right here so I hope that I can hold working exhausting and get extra alternatives to be in a scenario like this once more.”
Swiatek will take excessive rating from Ash Barty, who shocked the sporting world final month when she introduced her retirement from tennis aged 25.
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