Among those in second round action at the 2025 Miami Open on Friday, March 21 will be Iga Swiatek, Amanda Anisimova and Elise Mertens. Get the best predictions and tips for the day from WTA Miami Open 2025.
Amanda Anisimova v Mayar Sherif
Amanda Anisimova did not have a lot of time to celebrate her maiden WTA 1000 title win that she achieved in Doha last month, having to feature in Dubai just two days later. A thoroughly exhausted Anisimova lost her opener there.
And in Indian Wells two weeks ago, Anisimova was unfortunate to have been drawn up against Belinda Bencic in her opener. While the American put up a fight, she was beaten again.
After an opening round bye here, this will be a good chance for Anisimova to snap out of her losing streak – which has been just two matches long though – as she takes on Egypt’s Mayar Sherif.
Sherif was 31st in the world at her best but one, she has fallen drastically from there but secondly and more vitally, she had entered this tournament on the back of six successive losses.
She finally defeated Lulu Sun to break the hoodoo but on a hardcourt surface, it would be a big shock if she manages to win two in a row.
Anisimova v Sherif Tip: Anisimova to win in straight sets: 2/5
Elise Mertens v Peyton Stearns
This could turn out to be an interesting match between two players who have played just one before this – in Doha last year.
While Elise Mertens had defeated Peyton Stearns there, things might get a lot closer in Miami given the American’s grit and determination.
Stearns might not have deep runs in any of the tournament that she has played this season but she has some big wins under her belt in 2025. She has already overcome Maria Sakkari, Ons Jabeur, Dayana Yastremska and Qinwen Zheng and enters this second round with a victory over Katie Boulter.
Mertens, on the other hand, has already won a title this year and is 14-5 on win-loss for the season. It has taken the likes of Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys and Paula Badosa to get the better of her this year.
Stearns will be aware though that one of those Mertens losses also came against McCartney Kessler, a player ranked in the 40s too, like her own self.
Mertens v Stearns Tip: Three sets in the match: 6/5
Iga Swiatek v Caroline Garcia
There is very little chance that Caroline Garcia will even be able to put up a fight in this second round match. In fact, Garcia would be right in feeling a tad aggrieved to have drawn Iga Swiatek in the second round for the second time in as many tournaments.
Over at the Indian Wells Open, these two had met at this very stage of the competition and Swiatek had dropped just two games in her progress to the third. That was her fifth win over Garcia to go with just one loss. All those wins came in hardcourt competitions.
The real question is if Garcia can put up a bigger resistance than her 6-2, 6-0 loss last time to the world number two and by the looks of what has been on offer from Swiatek – against most lower-ranked players – and Garcia herself, the answer to that question seems to be a resounding no.
Swiatek v Garcia Tip: Under 18.5 games in the match: 7/10
