Reigning Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff both suffered fourth-round exits at the Miami Open. Swiatek’s defeat came at the hands of Ekaterina Alexandrova, who triumphed in a 6-4 6-2 victory on Monday night. Hours earlier, the third-seeded Gauff fell in a hard-fought three-set match against Caroline Garcia, with a final score of 6-3 1-6 6-2.
For Alexandrova, this win marked a significant milestone, as she defeated a top-ranked player for the first time. She now advances to face Jessica Pegula, who secured her spot with a 7-6(1) 6-3 victory over Emma Navarro in a battle of billionaires.
Alexandrova’s performance was nothing short of phenomenal, with a strategic return game that took advantage of Swiatek’s predictable patterns. She applied constant pressure, effectively taking control of the game and limiting Swiatek’s opportunities. Alexandrova’s serve was also a key factor, as Swiatek failed to break her even once throughout the match.
This marked Alexandrova’s second win over Swiatek, following a previous victory in Melbourne in 2021. Despite Swiatek’s dominance in their recent matches, including three wins in a row, Alexandrova managed to turn the tables this time. Reflecting on her victory, the world No.16 shared, “We played quite a few times…
