April 02, (THEWILL) – Iga Swiatek won her third title of the season in the Miami Open final on Saturday, defeating Naomi Osaka in straight sets, 6-4 6-0.
Early shadows on half of the court threatened to disrupt the match’s flow, as both players battled to gain the upper hand over the other in the first few games.
On her serve, Osaka needed 10 minutes and four aces to get through the first game. The Japanese recovered a one-game lead in the third set thanks to a stunning backhand.
Swiatek held her own and broke to lead 3-2 in the first set, with the potential world No. 1 breaking Osaka when she was able to take advantage of any slip.
Osaka, a former No. 1 herself, had to struggle to avoid going 5-2 down on her next service game when she faced another break point, but she briefly displayed the same tenacity that she exhibited in her comeback win against Belinda Bencic at the same time, albeit it was not enough to save the opening set.
Swiatek was in no desire to slog through the second set after a poor start in the first, and she broke Osaka again before dashing through her own service. The fitness of the Pole was impressive as she only grew more dominant.
Swiatek’s 3-0 lead was due to the fact that she had only 12 unforced errors compared to her opponent’s 25. She will be confirmed as the world’s number one player in the women’s discipline once Ashleigh Barty’s retirement is confirmed in the rankings.
Understandably, Osaka is still making her way back into the sport after taking long breaks because she was unsure how much she wanted to participate given her other commitments, and she is yet to win an event this season. Yet, her drive to the final in Miami will do her confidence a world of good.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
