Iga Swiatek lost at the 2024 Miami Open to Ekaterina Alexandrova, a painful defeat that left her disappointed.
In her first press conference in Miami, the Polish player dismissed suggestions from reporters that she's very likely to win the Miami Open. She scoffed at the suggestion, explaining that she hadn't really practiced yet, let alone played a match.
A few days later, Swiatek once again dismissed suggestions that she was favored to win the WTA 1000 event because she was struggling to adapt to the conditions a bit. It seems like she was right because her most recent match was not good.
Alexandrova is a good player who can produce a really high level, and that's what she did last night against Swiatek, beating her in two sets. After the match, a very disappointed Swiatek lamented her level in Miami, as she thought that she would do better.
"Disappointed, for sure, because I thought I was going to play better here in Miami. She played an amazing match and for sure, she was the better player out there today. Her serve, I had a hard time reading it. I got a little bit tense when I couldn't return well."
While she dismissed suggestions of winning the event twice, Swiatek likely still hoped to win the Sunshine Double once more. She did it in 2022, though the landscape wasn't as strong as it is today.
The event also plays a bit differently, which makes it more likely that she would lose. It used to play quite slow, similar to Indian Wells, where Swiatek's movement reigned supreme.
It's quick this year, and Alexandrova certainly loves those conditions. She served well, creating a lot of pressure on Swiatek while adding a really solid hitting day. It was a bit overwhelming for the reigning world number one.