Miami Open WTA draw: Swiatek, Rybakina on another collision course

Iga Swiatek won’t win the Sunshine Double — a feat she accomplished last year — in 2023. However, the world No 1 still has a chance to win the Miami Open for a second time in a row after her BNP Paribas Open title defense recently came to an end in the semi-finals.

Elena Rybakina, who also upset Swiatek in round for of the Australian Open, took down the Pole 6-2, 6-2 on Friday Indian Wells. They could face each other for a third time already this season in the Miami quarter-finals. Each woman has to only three matches this coming fortnight to set up another head-to-head showdown.

Because Rybakina did not receive her deserved 2,000 ranking points from winning Wimbledon and because her 2023 Indian Wells points are not yet on the board, she is not even the highest seed in her eighth of the Miami draw. The Kazakh is 10th, trailing No 8 Daria Kasatkina. Rybakina may have to get past Kasatkina in the last 16 before potentially running into Swiatek in the quarters.

If all of the top eight seeds hold to form in Miami, quarter-final matchups would be Swiatek vs. Kasatkina, Jessica Pegula vs. doubles partner Coco Gauff, Ons Jabeur vs. Maria Sakkari and Aryna Sabalenka vs. Caroline Garcia.

Andreescu vs Raducanu in first round

The first-round lineup is headlined by a battle between Grand Slam champions — both at the US Open — who have since suffered slides down the rankings. Bianca Andreescu (2019 US Open winner) and Emma Raducanu (2021 US Open winner) will square off right away, with the victor advancing to meet Sakkari.

There only previous encounter ended in a Raducanu retirement last spring in Rome, with Andreescu leading 6-2, 6-1 when it ended.

Other Miami first-round matchups to watch are Shelby Rogers vs Sloane Stephens, Marta Kostyuk vs Elisabetta Cocciaretto and Camila Giorgi vs Kaia Kanepi.

The men’s singles draw ceremony will take place on Monday.

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