Iga SWIATEK takes first step towards second Sunshine Double after easy victory over Camila GIORGI

Iga Swiatek comfortably defeated Camila Giorgi (No. 108) by 6-1, 6-1 and advanced to the third round of the Miami Open. The Polish player continues her streak after winning the Indian Wells title. She reached her 60th WTA 1000 triumph on hardcourts and has won 14 out of her last 15 matches.

The world No. 1 was the champion in Miami in 2022 but withdrew in 2023 due to a rib injury. Therefore, she arrived without having to defend points and with the possibility of winning the Sunshine Double for the second time, a feat achieved only by Steffi Graf, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic.

The first set started with Swiatek's absolute dominance, as she had no trouble against Giorgi's aggression. The Polish player secured two consecutive breaks and led 4-0, taking the initiative in service points and effectively countering her opponent's attacks from the baseline.

Giorgi began to find her rhythm and, after holding her serve for the first time, had four break points in her favor to narrow the gap, but she couldn't convert them. The 32-year-old Italian conceded a couple of break opportunities to Swiatek, who eventually closed out the set 6-1 in her favor.

In the second set, Giorgi seemed to gain confidence with her serve by winning her first game decisively, but her level was not sustainable against Swiatek's class. Despite Swiatek having only a 55% first serve percentage, she performed better in both short points and longer rallies, ultimately overwhelming her opponent with two consecutive breaks before finishing the set 6-1, 6-1.

The 4-time Grand Slam champion had an easy day and advanced to the third round where she will face the 26th seed teenager Linda Noskova, who eliminated her in the third round of the Australian Open two months ago. They faced each other again two weeks ago in Indian Wells with Swiatek emerging victorious.