Iga Świątek to replace Ash Barty as women's world number one

Iga Świątek will replace Ash Barty as the women's world number one in the wake of the Australian's sudden retirement.

Świątek will take top spot on the WTA rankings when they are updated on April 4, courtesy of her performances at the Miami Open.

The Pole did enough to ensure she replaces Barty as number one with her 6-2, 6-0 thrashing of Viktorija Golubic in the second round on Saturday AEDT.

The 20-year-old, who has already won titles in Doha and Indian Wells this year, is the first Polish player to achieve the top ranking.

The 2020 French Open champion is the 28th different woman to achieve the feat since the computerised system debuted in November 1975.

Świątek takes over after Barty's surprising announcement to walk away from the game after winning three major singles titles, including January's Australian Open.

Less than two months after her Australian Open victory, Barty announces she is quitting the game to begin the «next phase» of her life.

The 25-year-old Barty cited satisfaction with her career and burnout with the tour's demanding schedule as the reasons for her decision to retire.

«We're going to definitely miss Ash on tour,» said Coco Gauff, who defeated Wang Qiang 7-5, 6-4 in Miami.

Świątek and Gauff were joined in the third round by fifth seed Paula Badosa, who beat Marie Bouzková 7-5, 7-5.

Number 16 seed Jessica Pegula had little trouble beating 2018 Miami Open winner Sloane Stephens 6-1, 6-4, but more than half of the women who were seeded going into the tournament will not even be around for the first weekend.

Four more seeds — Jeļena Ostapenko (10), Elise Mertens (20), Sorana Cîrstea (24) and Liudmila Samsonova (29) — were all eliminated in second-round matches.

Their defeats meant 15 seeded women have now lost