World number one Iga Swiatek to miss Miami Open with a rib injury

Iga Swiatek (Si Robi, Wikimedia Commons)

According to the Associated Press on Wednesday, women’s world number one Iga Swiatek of Warsaw, Poland will miss the 2023 Miami Open because of a rib injury. Swiatek won the 2022 Miami Open as she defeated Naomi Osaka of Japan 6-4, 6-0 in the final.

Swiatek has won one WTA event in 2023 so far. She was victorious at the Qatar Open, where she steamrolled past Jessica Pegula of the United States 6-3, 6-0 in the final. In her last two WTA events, Swiatek reached the final of the Dubai Tennis Championship, but lost to Barbora Krejcikova of Czechia 6-4, 6-2 in the final, and then reached the semifinal of the Indian Wells Masters, before losing to reigning Wimbledon champion and eventual 2023 Indian Wells champion, Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, 6-2, 6-3.

In Miami on Thursday, Swiatek was to face unseeded American Claire Liu in the second round after getting a first round bye. Swiatek beat Liu in their only prior meeting of a WTA main draw. Earlier this month, Swiatek beat Liu 6-0, 6-1 in the second round of Indian Wells.

Swiatek was replaced in the Miami draw by Julia Grabner of Austria. In the first round, Liu was victorious 3-6, 3-3 because Katerina Siniakova of Czechia had to withdraw with a wrist injury. Liu will now face Grabner in the second round.

Now that Swiatek will not be participating in Miami over the next 10 days, the new top seed will be Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus. In addition to missing the Miami Open, Swiatek will also miss the qualifying round of the 2023 Billie Jean King Cup. Ironically, Poland was to face Rybakina and Kazakhstan April 14-15 in Astrana.

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