MIAMI, Fla.—With last year’s winner Petra Kvitova out on maternity leave, there will be a new women’s champion crowned at the Miami Open. But will it be one of the pre-tournament favorites and top seeds, or will one of the many looming threats and dangerous sleepers throw a wrench in the works?
An unseeded Naomi Osaka—who reached the final here in 2022—was drawn into No. 3 seed Coco Gauff’s section, and they could meet in the fourth round. Then there’s the ultimate wild card—a returning Simona Halep, back with a vengeance after CAS’s ruling ended her doping suspension—who could potentially be No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka’s first opponent in South Florida.
The women’s draw was unveiled on Sunday, and there’s plenty of intrigue even before the first ball has been hit. Let’s break it all down:
Fresh off a run to her second Indian Wells title, top seed Iga Swiatek awaits either countrywoman Magdalena Frech or big-hitting Camila Giorgi in the second round. It will be the 22-year-old’s first time playing in Miami since 2022, having skipped last year’s event due to injury.
She’ll have to hit the ground running as yet another clash with Linda Noskova looms in the third round: Should they both advance, it would be Swiatek and Noskova’s third meeting of the year. The Czech youngster famously knocked out Swiatek in an Australian Open third-round stunner, but the world No. 1 later avenged her defeat in Indian Wells with a statement 6-4, 6-0 third-round victory
