Defending champion Sabalenka headlines Miami field; Eala to return to site of breakthrough
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka will look to defend her Miami Open title next month against the top names in women's tennis.
The second leg of the Sunshine Double features Sabalenka and just one other former champion at Hard Rock Stadium -- 2022 winner Iga Swiatek -- but the entire Top 10 in this week's PIF WTA Rankings in its field. The World No. 1, who has a place in Miami, was thrilled after defeating Jessica Pegula in last year's final to win what's something of a home tournament for her these days.
"This trophy is a very special trophy," she said last year. "If I would lose today, it would be so tough to come back home and stay there, because I have been say saying throughout the tournament and everything would remind me about Miami Open, so I'm super happy to come back home as the champion of the tournament."
Two other former runner-ups, including Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina and 2022 finalist Naomi Osaka are also in the field looking for an elusive first Miami title, while the two other Americans in the Top 10, Amanda Anisimova and Coco Gauff, will each bid to reach the quarterfinals in their home state for the first time.
Alexandra Eala -- whose stunning run to the semifinals last year when ranked World No. 140 -- is also back to the site of her breakthrough. At last year's event, Eala upset both Swiatek and then-reigning Melbourne champion Madison Keys for her first two career Top 10 victories before losing a tense three-setter to Pegula.
Two players -- former World No. 1 Karolina Pliskova, the 2019 Miami runner-up, and China's Wang Yafan, have entered with protected rankings, and the last direct acceptance is Oksana Selekhmeteva.
The only player missing in the field who otherwise would've been accepted by ranking is No. 71 Oleksandra Olynyikova, who withdrew on Feb. 16 citing a change in schedule.
The top three alternates for the main draw are Katie Boulter, Anastasia Potapova, and Alycia Parks.
The Miami Open will be played at Hard Rock Stadium from March 15-29, with main-draw play set to begin on Match 18.