The 4 women to complete the ‘Sunshine Double’: ft. Steffi Graf, Iga Swiatek
The Miami Open women’s singles draw is underway, and all eyes will be on whether Mirra Andreeva can continue her stunning run of form.
Andreeva has won back-to-back WTA 1000 titles in Dubai and Indian Wells, though would make even more history with a victory in Miami.
Should she triumph inside the Hard Rock Stadium, she would be just the fifth woman in WTA history to claim the Indian Wells and Miami Open titles in the same year – completing the ‘Sunshine Double’.
Steffi Graf – 1994, 1996
Tennis icon Graf holds a unique place in the WTA record books as the first woman to complete the Indian Wells-Miami double – and the only woman to do it twice.
The German first completed the double in 1994 with an impressive run in Tennis Paradise – beating the likes of Tracy Austin and Iva Majoli before defeating sixth seed Amanda Coetzer 6-0, 6-4 in the final.
Graf then backed that up with an impressive run in Miami, the world No 1 seeing off Kimiko Date and Lindsay Davenport, and then rallying in the final to beat ninth seed Natasha Zvereva 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.
Two years later, Graf regained her title in Indian Wells by defeating both Coetzer and Davenport before a tight 7-6(5), 7-6(5) triumph over second seed Conchita Martinez.
That was followed by an emphatic run in Miami which saw the German not drop a single set, her streak through the draw culminating a 6-1, 6-3 win in the final over sixth seed Chanda Rubin.
1994 and 1996 were the only years Graf won in Indian Wells, though she claimed further Miami Open crowns in 1987, 1988, and 1995.
Kim Clijsters – 2005
Nine years after Graf’s second double, former world No 1 Clijsters followed in her footsteps by becoming just the second woman to achieve the feat – and the first in the 21st century.
On the comeback trail from injury, Clijsters was unseeded in Indian Wells, but battled past the likes of 23rd seed Martinez and fourth seed Elena Dementieva to reach the final.
The Belgian faced a tough test against top seed Lindsay Davenport, though battled past the US star 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 to become just the second undeeded champion in the event’s history.
Also unseeded in Miami, Clijsters cemented her return to form by thrashing top seed Amelie Mauresmo 6-1, 6-0 in the last four, before beating second seed Maria Sharapova 6-3, 7-5 in the final.
Clijsters had previously won Indian Wells in 2003, while she won a second Miami Open title in 2010.
Victoria Azarenka – 2016
One of the most successful hard-court players of her generation, former world No 1 Azarenka completed the ‘Sunshine Double’ back in 2016.
On a resurgent start to her season, Azarenka was the 13th seed in Tennis Paradise and battled past 18th seed Karolina Pliskova in the last four to reach the final.
The Belarusian was a significant underdog in the final against long-term nemesis Serena Williams, though beat the top seed 6-4, 6-4 to claim just a fourth win over the American – and the title with it.
Azarenka was again the 13th seed in Miami and ultimately she stormed to the title, not dropping a set across her six matches – just like Clijsters, and Graf in 1996.
After beating second seed Angelique Kerber in the semi-finals, Azarenka then eased past Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3, 6-2 to triumph.
The Belarusian had previously lifted the Indian Wells title in 2012, while also claiming the 2009 and 2011 Miami Open titles.
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Iga Swiatek – 2022
The last woman to complete the ‘Sunshine Double’ was Swiatek, who triumphed at both tournaments amid her astonishing 37-match win streak in 2022.
Swiatek was the third seed in Indian Wells and sent out a statement of intent by thrashing Madison Keys 6-1, 6-0 in the last eight, before beating 24th seed and former champion Simona Halep in the last four.
That set up a final against sixth seed Maria Sakkari, with the Pole breezing to a 6-4, 6-1 victory to pick up one of the biggest titles of her career.
Seeded second in Miami, a rampant Swiatek – much like her predecessors – sealed the ‘Sunshine Double’ without dropping a set in Florida.
Swiatek beat 28th seed Petra Kvitova in the quarter-final and 16th seed Jessica Pegula in the semi-final, before thrashing former world No 1 Naomi Osaka 6-4, 6-0 to lift the title.
Since her 2022 double, Swiatek has added a second Indian Wells title to her collection – again beating Sakkari in the 2024 final.
Can Andreeva make history?
Should she triumph in Miami, Andreeva would be just the fifth woman to complete the impressive double.
However, aged 17, she would become the youngest woman to ever complete the feat.
The youngest player to currently complete the ‘Sunshine Double’ is Swiatek, who was 20 back in March 2022.
