Magda Linette knocks out Iga Swiatek in Miami Open second round after three-set turnaround

All-Polish showdown ends early for the No. 2 seed

Magda Linette produced one of the standout results of the early Miami Open women’s draw on Friday, March 20, defeating fellow Pole and second seed Iga Swiatek in the second round. Linette came back from a one-set deficit to win 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, eliminating a player who entered the event with a first-round bye as one of the tournament’s top seeds.

The match was played at the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, part of the combined ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 tournament staged in South Florida in March. The result immediately reshaped the bottom section of the women’s singles bracket, opening a path for other contenders in Swiatek’s quarter of the draw.

How the match unfolded

Swiatek set the tone early, taking the first set 6-1. Linette then shifted the dynamic in the second set, tightening her service games and extending rallies to push the set into a higher-pressure finish. Linette captured the second set 7-5 to level the match, before controlling the decisive moments in the third set to close out a 6-3 win.

With seeds receiving byes into the second round in Miami, the contest marked Swiatek’s first match of the tournament. For Linette, it was a chance to capitalize on match rhythm gained earlier in the week, and she converted that advantage into a comeback victory over one of the event’s headline names.

Context: seeding, stakes, and what changes in the draw

Swiatek arrived in Miami as the No. 2 seed, a status that typically brings both protection in the draw and heightened expectations at WTA 1000 events. Her exit in the opening round she played means the tournament will not feature a deep Miami run from the second seed this year, and it removes a recent Miami champion from contention in the women’s field.

Linette’s win advances her into the third round and alters potential later-round matchups in the bottom half of the bracket. It also stands out as a high-profile intra-national victory, with two of Poland’s most prominent women’s players meeting at a major U.S. stop on the tour calendar.

Key facts at a glance

• Event: Miami Open (WTA 1000), Miami Gardens, Florida
• Round: Second round (seeds received first-round byes)
• Result: Magda Linette def. Iga Swiatek 1-6, 7-5, 6-3
• Date: Friday, March 20, 2026

Linette recovered from a one-sided opening set to win the next two sets and eliminate the No. 2 seed from the tournament.

The Miami Open continues through the weekend, with Linette moving forward as one of the early-round disruptors in a women’s draw that remains packed with seeded contenders and emerging challengers.