Line Calls, WTA Miami: Will Iga Swiatek complete the Sunshine Double for the second time?

On Tuesday, March 1, the second half of the Sunshine Double kicks off with WTA action at the Miami Open. This tournament is played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. Last year, Petra Kvitova earned a straight-set win over Elena Rybakina in the final of this event, but the Czech star won’t be out there this year. That means that Iga Swiatek is the most recent Miami Open champion in the field, as she won the tournament and completed the Sunshine Double in 2022. That’s notable considering Swiatek won the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells just last week.

Of course, other top players will be looking to disrupt Swiatek’s plans. With that in mind, keep reading for some things to know before betting on the Miami Open.

Last 5 Miami Open Champions

• 2018: Sloane Stephens
• 2019: Ashleigh Barty
• 2020: Canceled (COVID-19)
• 2021: Ashleigh Barty
• 2022: Iga Swiatek
• 2023: Petra Kvitova

Miami Open Betting Odds (presented by FanDuel Sportsbook)

• Iga Swiatek (+175)
• Aryna Sabalenka (+470)
• Elena Rybakina (+600)
• Coco Gauff (+850)
• Jessica Pegula (+3400)
• Maria Sakkari (+4200)
• Qinwen Zheng (+4200)
• Caroline Wozniacki (+4200)
• Jelena Ostapenko (+4200)
• Linda Noskova (+5000)

(For the rest of the odds, head over to FanDuel Sportsbook)

Miami Open Conditions

This tournament is played on a Laykold Cushion Plus hard court, which is considered a Category 2 when it comes to ITF Court Pace Rating. That means that this tournament plays slow to medium in speed. But the conditions here are a little different than they were in Indian Wells. While this event also plays slower than your average hard court, the ball doesn’t bounce as high as it does in the desert. However, when the humidity is high, the ball can move slower through the air.

It should be noted that these conditions can be very uncomfortable when the temperature approaches the mid 80s. The 10-day forecast doesn’t call for many days like that, but if things change, make sure you’re taking a player that you know is in great shape.

Miami Open Players To Watch

• Iga Swiatek (+175): Swiatek is hunting for the Sunshine Double after having not lost a single set in Indian Wells. Swiatek didn’t have a very difficult draw in the desert, but she navigated her matches with very few problems. And while these conditions don’t suit her quite as well as the ones in Indian Wells, she is still deservedly the favorite. One thing to note is that Swiatek is serving at a higher level than ever. She has a career-high hold percentage of 83.5%. If that weapon has truly gotten better, we’ll see it on these lower-bouncing courts.
• Elena Rybakina (+600): Rybakina had to withdraw from Indian Wells with an illness, but she's supposedly feeling much better this week. The big server should feel good about her chances of winning the Miami Open. Rybakina's draw features some heavy hitters, but none of them should be all that intimidating for her. If she just puts her head down and serves the way she is capable of, she should go deep in this tournament. And she's on the other side of the draw from Swiatek, so she doesn't have to worry about facing the top player in the sport before the final. That's big, because you want to a clear path to the final for a potential hedging opportunity.
• Liudmila Samsonova (+6500): Samsonova hasn’t played her best tennis lately, but she’s a player to keep an eye on. She tends to play her best tennis on Laykold hard courts, which makes sense considering her big serve and aggressive style of play. She wants to win quick points, and these low-bouncing courts make it easier. Samsonova will likely have a little more success when we get on hard courts after the summer, but ignoring her would be foolish. There aren’t many players with legitimate long shot appeal in this field, but Samsonova is interesting.