Iga Swiatek continues her incredible run on Hologic WTA Tour hard courts, as the Polish player defeated Naomi Osaka 6-4, 6-0 in the 2022 Miami Open final to win her 17th straight match and her third consecutive title.
On Monday, Swiatek will ascend to World No.1 for the first time in her career, and she will move to that position with authority following her commanding 1-hour and 17-minute victory over former World No.1 Osaka.
Sunshine Double complete: Swiatek also joins an exclusive club by becoming only the fourth woman to win the "Sunshine Double" — titles at WTA 1000 Indian Wells and Miami in the same season. Swiatek, 20, is the youngest woman to pull off the Sunshine Double.
Swiatek joins Stefanie Graf (1994 and 1996), Kim Clijsters (2005) and Victoria Azarenka (2016) in completing that amazing feat. Once Monday hits, all four of those women will be on the list of World No.1 players.
Owning the WTA 1000s: Swiatek's career-best winning streak continues unabated, with all of her last 17 wins coming at the first three WTA 1000 events of the season.
The Pole swept the titles at WTA 1000 Doha, Indian Wells, and now Miami, joining Serena Williams (2013 – Miami, Madrid, Rome, Toronto) and Caroline Wozniacki (2010 – Montréal, Tokyo, Beijing) as the only players to win three or more consecutive WTA 1000 titles in a single season.
But Swiatek stands alone as the first player to win the first three WTA 1000 tournaments in a season. Overall, it is her fourth career WTA 1000 title, and the sixth Hologic WTA Tour singles title of her already outstanding career thus far.
Moreover, Swiatek becomes the first player to win 17 consecutive matches on hard courts in a single calendar year since Serena Williams won 20 straight hard-court matches between the Australian Open and Toronto in 2015.
Match moments: A tricky 10-minute game started proceedings, with Osaka saving two break points and withstanding seven deuces before holding. A handful of close games followed before Swiatek claimed the first break of the day with a backhand crosscourt winner to lead 3-2.
That would prove to be the deciding moment of the clash, as Swiatek marched to the one-set lead despite Osaka's bold returning tactics from deep inside the court. Swiatek kept the momentum as the second set began, breaking Osaka right away with aggressive returns of her own.
All told, Swiatek reeled off the last seven games of the match to extend her stunning winning streak. Swiatek never faced a break point in the affair, and prevailed on exactly two-thirds of Osaka’s second-service points (20 for 30).
17th consecutive match win. Back to back to back WTA 1000 titles.
Career title #6 (without losing a set!).
Youngest woman to complete the Miami double at 20 (Kim Clijsters was 21). 4th woman in history to complete the Miami "Sunshine Double".
First woman to sweep the first 3 WTA 1000's in a season. And the official world #1 come Monday.
Is this real life?. Absolutely incredible.
She continues her extraordinary record in semis and finals. Not to mention bagelling her opponents in 3 out of 4 of those finals...mind blowing.
I honestly did not expect Iga to dominate as much as she did, but at the same time nothing surprises me anymore with the form she has been in and the way she has been playing.
I felt a little bad for Naomi to be honest, but I love the respect they have for one another.
I hope there are many more matches to come between them, because their rivalry is great for tennis. And their friendship off court is just lovely.
I am honestly speechless with what Iga has been able to do the last few months.
It's unheard of.
She has officially and rightfully withdrawn from the green clay event in Charleston next week.
About time she gets some well deserved rest. Now she can have some time to decompress and let it all sink in.
Not to mention getting some much needed family time whom I'm pretty sure she hasn't seen since after winning Doha.
Though I also hear she wants to get some surfing lessons in before leaving Miami.
Well done Iga, you have made Poland so extremely proud.
Enjoy the fruits off all your incredible achievements.
See you on the clay!
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