AFTER two days of rain the sun returned to the Miami Open on Saturday in a good omen for Iga Swiatek, who launched her bid to become just the second woman to win the “Sunshine Double” more than once with a breezy 6-1 6-1 win over Italy’s Camila Giorgi.
Winner of the “Sunshine Double” (wins at Indian Wells and Miami Open) in 2022 Swiatek can join Steffi Graf as the only other woman to pull off the feat more than once if she can lift the trophy in Miami after taking the first leg in the California desert last weekend.
The world number one opened her Miami account in ruthless style romping to a 6-1 6-1 win in just 69 minutes.
Swiatek has not lost an opening match since 2021 in Cincinnati and the 22-year-old Pole was in no danger of having that run end on the Hard Rock stadium court racing out to a 4-0 lead in the opening set and never stepping off the gas wrapping up her day in 69 minutes.
Next for Swiatek is 26th-seeded Czech teenager Linda Noskova, who could prove a tricky test having stunned the Pole in the third round of this year’s Australian Open.
In the battle of players returning to the tour from maternity leave it was former-world number one Naomi Osaka coming away with a 6-2 7-6(5) win over 15th-seeded Ukrainian Elina Svitolina. It is another big step in the 26-year-old Japanese’s comeback having now picked off two top 20 ranked players in the six matches since her return.
American fifth seed Jessica Pegula moved untroubled into the third round when an ailing Zhu Lin retired trailing 6-4 4-1.
After only eight matches were completed on Friday due to rain, the start of play was again delayed by three hours on Saturday with Pegula and Zhu among the first in action as organisers scrambled to get back on schedule.
Zhu, looking for her first win over a top five ranked opponent, began smartly matching Pegula with an early break.
But the 30-year-old Chinese was unable to sustain the effort as Pegula broke again to take the opener before charging out to a 3-0 lead in the second.
Zhu would hold serve at 3-1 but after Pegula served to increase her lead headed to the bench during the changeover showing signs of distress and asked for the trainer.
A medical time out was called with a doctor coming on court checking Zhu’s blood pressure and heart rate as the Chinese player closed her eyes and pointed to her chest.
Following a brief discussion with the chair umpire the match was called with Pegula coming across to check on her opponent.
Next up for Pegula is Canadian Leylah Fernandez who converted all six of her break chances in a 6-4 6-2 win over Colombian Emiliana Arango.
Romania’s Sorana Cirstea brought former champion Sloane Stephens Miami Open to a screeching halt mauling the American grand slam winner 6-2 6-1.
