Osaka and Swiatek’s Miami Open final received a lot of hype as the first tournament final since current world No 1 Ash Barty announced her retirement. With the 20-year-old set to take over the top spot from Monday and the Japanese star the last person to sit at No 1 before Barty, it was heralded as a fitting match in the wake of the Aussie’s shock retirement.
The pair had faced off just once before in 2019 when Swiatek was yet to crack the world’s top 50 or become a Grand Slam champion, where Osaka beat her in the Canadian Open. But it was the soon-to-be world No 1’s turn to get a win over the 24-year-old as she dominated to seal a 6-4 6-0 victory, winning the Miami Open and in the process becoming just the fourth woman in history to do the ‘Sunshine Double’, having won Indian Wells two weeks prior.
Osaka and Swiatek are also known for enjoying a good relationship off the court and after the match, the four-time Grand Slam champion admitted she hoped they would also get to spend more time together on the match court too, facing off in many more big finals to cement a strong rivalry on the WTA Tour, eyeing Federer and Nadal as the perfect example.
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“Yeah, when I hear someone say like ‘rivalry’, it makes me remember when people said like me and Barty were in a rivalry, but we didn’t play that much, to be honest,” the current world No 77 said after playing her first final in 13 months. “I mean, I would love to be rivals with Iga, but I feel like we need to — like Federer and Nadal played so many different times, so we’d need to play at least five different times, I would say.”
And Osaka admitted it would be “fun” to have the 20-year-old as a rival though said she was unsure whether Swiatek saw their match-up in the same way. She continued: “But yeah, for me, like, I always keep the same answer. Rivalries are what make the sport go around. People want to see the matchup in different countries or different surfaces. I think that’s the most exciting thing about tennis is like you play in different altitudes, different conditions. So yeah. I don’t know if she really considers me a rival, but sure, that would be fun.”
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The former world No 1 shared an insight into her friendship with the 2020 French Open champion during her speech, as she congratulated her friend and new rival. “I want to congratulate Iga. Hi,” she laughed as she looked at the Pole. “I was just thinking yesterday, just like when I had that dinner with you in Australia, just watching your journey is really incredible and I hope you continue having fun.” She also alluded to the start of their rivalry, adding: “We’re tied 1-1 now so.”
And it seems Swiatek agrees that the Miami Open marks the start of what could become one of the greatest rivalries on the WTA Tour. In her own victory speech she said: “I’m pretty glad that we could play this match and I think it’s a start of a great rivalry. And honestly, when I was watching you winning US Open in 2018, I wouldn’t even thought that I’m going to be playing against you on such an important match. You are really an inspiration and this sport is better with you so keep going and as you said, we’re 1-1 now so… playing more matches to come.”
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