Swiatek savours ‘surreal’ No. 1 achievement

Poland's Iga Swiatek said capturing the women's world number one ranking was a "surreal" achievement, with the 20-year-old set to replace retired Ash Barty at the top of the rankings.

Swiatek clinched the ranking after defeating Viktorija Golubic 6-2, 6-0 in the second round of the Miami Open on Friday, becoming the first Polish player to ascend to the No.1 position in singles.

She will become the new world No. 1 when the WTA rankings are released on April 4. At 20 years, 308 days old, Swiatek will be the youngest player to make her No.1 debut since Caroline Wozniacki in 2010. "It's a dream come true, for sure," Swiatek told reporters. "It's that kind of thing that I wanted to happen someday, but I didn't really know that it's going to be possible for me. So it's even more surreal for me."

Swiatek, who won her maiden Grand Slam title at the French Open in 2020, said she is ready to deal with the pressure of being the top-ranked player.