Iga Swiatek saved a set point before composing herself to beat Caroline Garcia in straight sets and kickstart her bid for a second Miami Open title on Friday.

Swiatek, who beat Garcia 6-2 6-0 in just over an hour at Indian Wells two weeks ago, was faced with a sterner test in her first outing at this year's Florida event, winning 6-2 7-5.

Swiatek took the first 10 points in a lightning start, winning 11 of 14 first-serve points (79%) and all five of her second-serve points as she took the opener in routine fashion.

But Garcia came roaring back after giving up an early break in the second set, reeling off three straight games to go 3-1 up, with a series of unforced errors hampering Swiatek.

Swiatek responded impressively, breaking to love in the fifth game to bring it back to 3-2, and the set stayed on serve for five further games.

In the last of those, Garcia carved out set point against Swiatek's serve, but the second seed staved off the danger before reeling off three straight games to book her place in round three, where she will face Belgium's Elise Mertens.

"My energy level got down really fast," Swiatek said in her on-court interview. "So I tried to wake myself up, keep the intensity from the first set, follow through and go for it."

17 - 17 of Iga Swiatek’s 19 wins during the 2025 season in WTA level events have come in straight sets, the most of any player. Sailing. #MiamiOpen | @MiamiOpen @WTA @WTA_insider pic.twitter.com/zLSOzAHs07

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) March 21, 2025

Data debrief: Straight-sets Swiatek

Seventeen of Swiatek's 19 victories at WTA events this year have come in straight sets, with the Pole edging out Aryna Sabalenka (16) for the most such wins.

Meanwhile, Swiatek has won 25 consecutive opening matches at WTA 1000 events, becoming the first player to achieve this feat since the format was introduced in 2009.