MIAMI – World No. 1 Iga Swiatek is a four-time Grand Slam champion but she is not invincible, and an “uncomfortable” Miami Open campaign once again showed that she can be thoroughly beaten on her bad days.
On March 25, the Polish star was knocked out in the fourth round after Ekaterina Alexandrova triumphed 6-4, 6-2.
The 14th seed played brilliant attacking tennis from the outset to win and leave the WTA tournament without any of the top three seeds in the quarter-finals, with Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff also out.
France’s Caroline Garcia upset world No. 3 Gauff 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 on the same day to advance to the last eight, while world No. 2 Sabalenka had been eliminated by Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina on March 23.
“I just feel disappointed, for sure, because I thought I was going to play better here in Miami,” said Swiatek. “But she played an amazing match and for sure was the better player out there today.”
The 22-year-old never looked comfortable after Alexandrova, 29, broke her in the opening game and took control of proceedings with some outstanding tennis.
Swiatek, who was looking to become the second woman to win the “Sunshine Double” after her triumph at Indian Wells, generated just one break point in the match but Alexandrova saved it to take a 4-2 lead in the second set.
Having come from a set down in the previous round against Linda Noskova, the Pole would have had some belief in turning the contest around but her Russian opponent was in no mood for mistakes.
Alexandrova made short work of the second set, breaking to go 2-1 up with an startling cross-court return and ending their encounter with 31 winners to Swiatek’s 11.
The match was the first in which Swiatek did not break serve since her loss to Ash Barty in Adelaide in January 2022.
She said that she had a hard time reading Alexandrova’s serve but felt that things just had not clicked for her in the entire tournament.
“I was feeling that I couldn’t play in a natural way but it’s not like I always feel comfortable on court. I thought I would be able to work through that,” she said.
Alexandrova laughed off the suggestion that she had played a perfect match but was certainly not going to downplay her performance.
“It was such a great game for me in consistency, the serve, the returns, the playing from the baseline, I think it was pretty good and I hope I can keep (up) for the next match,” she said.
Alexandrova, a quarter-finalist in Miami last season too, next faces fifth seed Jessica Pegula on March 27.
Garcia, who had beaten four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka in straight sets, continued her inspired form as she defeated Gauff on her home court in 103 minutes.
After a thrilling encounter, which ebbed and flowed, Garcia, ranked 27th in the world, emerged to earn a last-eight meeting with American Danielle Collins.
The victory was Garcia’s first against a top-10 opponent since late 2022 but her third against Gauff in five meetings.
“It was definitely a great win for me. And definitely today, following the match of yesterday (against Osaka), it means a lot. And it was some great tennis,” she said.
Gauff, who hails from south Florida, was disappointed not to have progressed further in front of a home crowd but she is setting her sights on the clay-court season.
“Every loss weighs on me heavy, especially one like today where I felt like I could have done better,” the reigning US Open champion said.
“If anything, it helps being home so I can just drive and be home and be in my own bed. I wish I could have done better this hard-court season, but I’m excited for clay.”
Fourth seed Elena Rybakina defeated American Madison Keys 6-3, 7-5 to set up a quarter-final with Greece’s Maria Sakkari, who advanced after Anna Kalinskaya withdrew due to a thigh injury. AFP, REUTERS
