WTA Miami Open Preview

World No. 1 and defending champion Iga Swiatek leads the WTA Miami Open draw this week as the top seed and conspicuous betting online favorite.

The 21-year-old Pole is priced at +175 to win the title as we look at the latest tennis odds powered by BetUS sportsbook. However, with the competition promising to be fierce in South Florida, Swiatek coming through on her favorable odds isn’t a guarantee.

If the previous tournament in Indian Wells was any indication, there are at least two players that could thwart Swiatek. The first player is world No. 10 Elenba Rybakina, who stalled Swiatek’s Indian Wells title-defense campaign in the semifinals before going on to win the title in the Californian desert. Rybakina, priced at +1000, falls into the same section and could challenge the Pole in the quarterfinals this time.

The second player is world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, who won the 2023 Australian Open title after defeating Rybakina in the final. Indeed, Sabalenka, priced at +700, and Rybakina are good value for your tennis picks, especially given the fact that they have decided two of the biggest tournaments of this season already.

Few would be surprised if the burgeoning Rybakina-Sabalenka rivalry featured in the deciding match of another major WTA 1000 event. That said, other stumbling blocks in the top half of the draw that could emerge – in Swiatek’s path or to generally challenge for the title – include world No. 3 Jessica Pegula, No. 6 Coco Gauff anf No. 14 Victoria Azarenka, to name a few.

Similarly, from the bottom half, challengers include world No.4 Ons Jabeur, No. 5 Carolina Garcia, No. 7 Maria Sakkari and No. 9 Belinda Bencic.

Join us as we preview the 2023 WTA Miami Open draw in its entirety, examine the tennis betting markets and provide some early tennis predictions.

WTA Miami Open Odds – Top 35 Best Bets

Iga Swiatek +210
Aryna Sabalenka +650
Elena Rybakina +850
Barbora Krejcikova +1000
Jessica Pegula +1000
Coco Gauff +1800
Belinda Bencic +2200
Carolina Garcia +2800
Ons Jabeur +2800
Veronika Kudermetova +2800
Maria Sakkari +2800
Victoria Azarenka +4000
Madison Keys +4000
Qinwen Zheng +4000
Beatriz Haddad-Maia +5000
Maria Kostyuk +5000
Emma Raducanu +5000
Liudmila Samsonova +5000
Donna Vekic +5000
Marketa Vondrousova +5000
Danielle Collins +6600
Jelena Ostapenko +6600
Karolina Pliskova +6600

First Quarter: Swiatek-Rybakina Rematch in the Cards?

Top Seeds: No. 1 Iga Swiatek, No. 8 Daria Kasatkina, No. 10 Elena Rybakina, No. 13 Beatriz Haddad Maia, No. 21 Paula Badosa, No. 24 Jelena Ostapenko, No. 25 Martina Trevisan, No. 29 Petra Martic
Dangerous Floaters: Siniakova, Kalinskaya.

Parks Swiatek will be doubly motivated in Miami after her Indian Wells run ended in disappointment in the penultimate round. But with her nemesis and conqueror Rybakina falling into the same section, slated to emerge as a potential quarterfinal opponent, she’s going to have her work cut out.

Before Swiatek can look that far ahead she must contend with earlier threats. To begin with, she could face Czech dark horse Katerina Siniakova in the R64. Then, the first seeded threat is No. 25 Martina Trevisan, who is a potential R32 opponent. Admittedly, the biggest obstacles in her path are No. 13 seed Beatriz Haddad-Maia and No. 24 Jelena Ostapenko, both of whom could prove tricky fourth-round opponents.

IGA INSANITY 😍

From all angles….#TennisParadise| @iga_swiatek pic.twitter.com/8D7SmI1a7L

— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) March 11, 2023

Rybakina’s path to the quarterfinals and a potential rematch with Swiatek will begin in the R64 against the winner of Anna Kalinskaya vs. Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva. No. 21 Paula Badosa is the first seed on the road (R32) to the last eight followed by No. 8 Kasatkina and No. 29 Petra Martic in the R16. A surprise R16 challenge could come from American Alycia Parks, who won the title in Lyon last month. However, Parks has struggled to find consistent form since Lyon and that makes her a total wild card sports bet.

Quarterfinal Predictions: Swiatek vs Rybakina

Second Quarter: Pegula, Gauff Lead Charge

Top Seeds: No. 3 Jessica Pegula, No. 6 Coco Gauff, No. 12 Liudmila Samsonova, No. 14 Victoria Azarenka, No. 20 Magda Linette, No. 23 Zheng Qinwen, No. 27 Anastasia Potapova, No. 30 Danielle Collins
Dangerous Floaters: Fruhvirtova, Giorgi, Kanepi

With Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff flanking juxtaposing ends of the second quarter, the promise of a top-tier all-American quarterfinal showdown is alluring. Another American in this section, potentially hoping to crash this party, is the 30th-seeded Danielle Collins. On a good day, Collins can beat anyone. She is one of the mentally toughest competitors in the game today.

By all accounts, Pegula is projected to emerge from this section as she ranks among the top favorites (+1000) to win the title in Miami. She’s also one of the few players to beat Swiatek this season.

simply stunning tennis 🤩@Petra_Kvitova keeps Pegula at bay and takes the final set to secure her place back in the quarterfinals!#TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/8jabw9DQHt

— wta (@WTA) March 15, 2023

Of course, before the 29-year-old American can look that far ahead, she must navigate a successful course through the early rounds. Czech teenage rising star Linda Fruhvirtova is a dark horse that could challenge Pegula in the R64. No. 30 Collins is the first-seeded threat she could face in the R32. Whereas the fourth round could see her pit against former Miami Open champion No. 14 Azarenka or No. 20 Magda Linette. Dark Horse threats in her path include Camilla Giorgi and veteran Kaia Kanepi.

Gauff’s path could see her go through No. 27 seed Anastasia Potapova in the R32 and No. 12 Liudmila Samsonova or No. 23 Qinwen Zheng in the R16. While many of the players in Gauff’s section are capable competitors, none leap off the page as terrifying prospects. Thus, Gauff should advance into the last eight with relative ease.

Quarterfinal Predictions: Collins vs Gauff

Third Quarter: Jabeur, Sakkari Headline Bracket

Top Seeds: No. 4 Ons Jabeur, No. 7 Maria Sakkari, No. 9 Belinda Bencic, No. 15 Petra Kvitova, No. 18 Ekaterina Alexanddrova, No. 22 Donna Vekic, No. 26 Zhang Shuai, No. 28 Anhelina Kalinina
Dangerous Floaters: Kenin, Andreescu, Raducanu, Fernandez, Noskova Townsend

World No. 4 Ons Jabeur and No. 7 Maria Sakkari lead the charge in the third quarter as the top seeds, but both are vulnerable in a section that is arguably wide open. The minefields are everywhere, from top to bottom in this quarter.

In Sakkari’s corner, her R64 opponent will be decided in a blockbuster first-round matchup between 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu and 2021 US Open Emma Raducanu. Then, 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, No. 28 seed Kalinina or a qualifier could challenge the top Greek in the third round. The R16 is where it gets tricky for Sakkari as she could come up against in-form No. 9 seed Bencic, No. 18 Alexandrova, former US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez or Taylor Townsend, to name a few.

The most relaxed coin toss we’ve ever seen 😂@Ons_Jabeur | @MFrech97 | #TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/QspuVEPbXm

— wta (@WTA) March 12, 2023

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova lurks in the bottom of this quarter, on course for an R16 clash with No. 4 seed Jabeur. Other players that could challenge the Tunisian trailblazer include No. 22 seed Donna Vekic, Americans Anisimova, and Madison Brengle, or rising Czech tenager Linda Noskova. The Czech teen reached the final of the Adelaide International 1 tournament in January (l. to Sabalenka).

Quarterfinal Predictions: Kvitova vs Jabeur

Fourth Quarter: Sabalenka, Garcia on Course for Showdown

Top Seeds: No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, No. 5 Caroline Garcia, No. 11 Veronika Kudermetova, No.16 Barbora Krejcikova, No.17 Karolina Pliskova, No.19 Madison Keys, No. 31 Marie Bouzkova, No. 32 Zhu Lin
Dangerous Floaters: Teichmann, Sasnovich, Niemeier, Stephens

Sabalenka is the second overall favorite to win the title, a tennis betting outlook underscored by her impressive start to the 2023 season that is highlighted by a maiden Grand Slam title and just two defeats on the season, including Sunday’s runner-up finish to Rybakina in Indian Wells.

Sabalenka’s opening contest will see her face the winner of Shelby Rogers vs Sloane Stephens. The first seed in her path is No. 31 Marie Bouzkova, but Jule Neimeier or Anna Blinkova are alternative R32 opponents as well. American and No. 19 seed Madison Keys or No. 16 Barbora Krejcikova, who is the only other player to beat Sabalenka this year, loom as potential R16 opponents.

🇰🇿 Elena the Elite 🇰🇿

On her fifth attempt, Rybakina scores a first career win against Sabalenka 7-6(11), 6-4 to claim a maiden Indian Wells title!#TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/5gLRNeRXGW

— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) March 19, 2023

Garcia’s corner is flanked by No. 11 Kudermetova, who is the highest-seeded threat slated for the R16. Alternatively, former world No. 1 and US Open finalist Karolina Pliskova is another potential fourth-round opponent for the Frenchwoman. Before that, No. 32 seed Lin Zhu or dark horse Jil Teichmann could give her something to think about in R32.