Coco Gauff’s and Iga Swiatek’s potential route to the Miami Open final

Follow us on Google Discover

Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek will both be among the favourites to win the Miami Open title.

This will be the second part of the WTA’s ‘Sunshine Double’ following the Indian Wells Open last week.

Swiatek was criticised for her behaviour at Indian Wells and the world number two is under pressure to go all the way having failed to win anything since her French Open title in 2024, which is also the last final she made.

Gauff is looking to recapture her early season form after she went 9-0 but has lost three of her last five matches and hasn’t won anything since the opening week of 2025.

Both stars won’t be able to meet each other until the final itself but face equally difficult runs to the final. Here’s what both of their routes look like.

• READ MORE: Coco Gauff recalls the WTA victory where whatever she did was ‘gold’ after admitting that her US Open final against Aryna Sabalenka was ‘not a great match’

Coco Gauff could face one of nightmare trio in Miami Open semi-final

For Gauff, the main objective will be to go deep in this tournament.

Since turning professional, the American has never got further than the fourth round but, the number three seed is backed to be in contention.

She doesn’t have the easiest of starts though and will start her tournament off against a former Grand Slam winner, facing either Petra Kvitova or Sofia Kenin.

Maria Sakkari will await Gauff in last 32 before the step-up in quality becomes apparent when one of Ekaterina Alexandrova or Beatriz Haddad Maia will provide a stern test.

If Gauff can overcome these, Jasmine Paolini or Daria Kasatkina will likely be waiting in the quarter-finals.

Gauff’s toughest test could arguably come up against number one seed and world number one, Aryna Sabalenka, who lost to Mirra Andreeva at the Indian Wells final. Elena Rybakina and Qinwen Zheng are also potential opponents.

Finally, if the 21-year-old does make it to the final one of Swiatek, Jessica Pegula or Madison Keys will probably be the final test for the trophy.

An all-American final in Florida would be great fun, especially against Keys, who said Gauff was the biggest trash talker on the WTA.

Iga Swiatek will avoid Aryna Sabalenka until Miami Open final

It feels like Swiatek needs to remind everyone why she is regarded as one of the best tennis players in the world at this tournament.

The Pole has played well in spells, but the lack of silverware will be a concern for the former world number one.

As the second seed, the 23-year-old will avoid some of her higher-ranked competitors until the latter stages.

She starts her tournament off against either Caroline Garcia or Anna Bondar. If Garcia wins it will be the second straight competition they’ve met in, with Swiatek defeating her in straight sets last time.

Elise Mertens could then be next in the last 32 before Karolina Muchova or Elina Svitolina try to halt her run in the last 16.

• READ MORE: Iga Swiatek breaks 14-year Novak Djokovic record after reaching the semi-finals of Indian Wells

Keys is in exceptional form and has more ranking points than anyone else on the tour this season. She also won the Australian Open at the start of the year and will want glory on home turf. If not, Spaniard Paula Badosa may await in the quarters.

Pegula or Emma Navarro would then be the last hurdle to overcome before the final, meaning that world number one Sabalenka would be avoided until the final. It would also mean one of Gauff or Paolini could be Swiatek’s last opponent.