2025 Miami Open Women's Preview: Sabalenka, Swiatek and Keys among the favourites– Can anyone stop Andreeva?

The 2025 Miami Open is set to begin this Wednesday, March 18, on the hard courts of the Hard Rock Stadium, marking the second challenge of the Sunshine Double for the WTA’s biggest stars. Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Madison Keys, and Mirra Andreeva emerge as the favourites for the title, though surprises are not out of the question in a tournament that has seen unexpected champions in recent editions.

The defending champion is Danielle Collins, who arrived last year ranked just No. 53 in the world but found her best form to claim her first WTA 1000 title. That victory set the stage for a stellar season, finishing the year ranked No. 11, which ultimately led her to postpone her retirement – originally planned for the end of 2024.

So far this season, four players have consistently delivered strong results and currently lead the WTA Race with a comfortable gap over the rest.

Of course, Australian Open champion Madison Keys is among the top contenders. It’s not just about her Melbourne campaign; she put together an impressive 15-match winning streak, which, unfortunately for her, ended in the Indian Wells semifinals against Aryna Sabalenka. However, a loss to the world No. 1 is hardly a sign of decline, and she remains a strong candidate for the title.

Sabalenka, on the other hand, reached the Indian Wells final for the second time but once again fell short, losing to Mirra Andreeva. The Belarusian is looking to bounce back from her second runner-up finish of the season (after the Australian Open) and improve on her 2024 Miami Open performance, where she was eliminated in the third round. If she lives up to expectations, she could face defending champion Danielle Collins in the fourth round.

At the bottom half of the draw, world No. 2 Iga Swiatek will seek to reclaim the Miami Open crown she won in 2022. The five-time Grand Slam champion has consistently dominated early rounds to make deep runs but hasn’t reached a final in a while. She has suffered semifinal exits at Indian Wells, the Qatar Open, and the Australian Open, as well as a quarterfinal defeat in Dubai. Additionally, her last two losses have come against teenage sensation Mirra Andreeva, whom she might meet in another potential semifinal clash.

The 17-year-old Russian is riding a remarkable 12-match winning streak and has claimed the last two WTA 1000 titles. During this run, she has collected major victories, defeating Swiatek twice, Rybakina twice (the 2023 Miami champion), and Sabalenka once. Can she extend her streak and fight for a third consecutive title? One thing is clear: despite her young age, Andreeva has already proven she is capable of competing for the biggest tournaments.

World No. 45 Belinda Bencic has enjoyed an outstanding comeback in the first few months of her return following a year-long maternity break. The Swiss has shown flashes of the form that once took her to a career-high ranking of No. 4. Last week, she eliminated three top-20 players: Amanda Anisimova (No. 17), Diana Shnaider (No. 13), and world No. 3 Coco Gauff.

Meanwhile, Zheng Qinwen (No. 8) rediscovered her best form in Indian Wells after a three-match losing streak. She reached the quarterfinals with confident wins over Marta Kostyuk and Lulu Sun before falling to Swiatek. The Paris 2024 Olympic gold medallist has proven that when she finds consistency, she can beat anyone, and Miami presents another opportunity for her to showcase her talent in a big tournament.

Elena Rybakina (No. 7) and Karolina Muchova (No. 15) were seen as strong contenders at Indian Wells just a few weeks ago, but both suffered heavy defeats. The former Wimbledon champion Rybakina was dismantled by Andreeva in the Round of 16, losing 1-6, 2-6, while Muchova met a similar fate against Swiatek, falling 1-6, 1-6. Both will be looking to recover in Miami after those disappointing losses.

The American trio of Coco Gauff (No. 3), Jessica Pegula (No. 4), and Emma Navarro (No. 10) are always in the mix to go deep – or even win the title. However, their performances at Indian Wells were far from convincing, with none of them reaching the quarterfinals. Still, playing at home and on a slightly faster surface could work in their favour in Miami.