Google News Martina Navratilova backs Elena Rybakina, Carlos Alcaraz to complete Sunshine Double
by DZEVAD MESIC
Martina Navratilova believes Elena Rybakina and Carlos Alcaraz have "a really good" shot at completing the Sunshine Double. Rybakina, 23, won her first Indian Wells title earlier this month and now she has been through to the Miami quarterfinal, where she plays Martina Trevisan.
On the other side, Alcaraz also lifted his first Indian Wells and now he is aiming to defend his Miami title. In Miami, Alcaraz has progressed to the round-of-16 stage, where he plays Tommy Paul. "You have to go with Alcaraz and Rybakina.
I think they have a really good shot at winning the Sunshine Double. They both have a shot at it, they are the players to beat. Rybakina is in form and healthy," Navratilova told Tennis Channel, per Eurosport.
Navratilova thinks Rybakina, Alcaraz can complete the Sunshine Double
Last year, Alcaraz became a Masters champion in Miami.
Now, Alcaraz is hoping to defend his title and conquer the 2023 Sunshine Double. "Now healthy, I don't know how he fixed that leg but he did and he's looking very, very sharp. Every match is a Wimbledon final to him. He is fired up the same way for every single match and he's in there.
I just look forward to watching great matches," Navratilova said of Alcaraz. Should Rybakina and Alcaraz both complete the Sunshine Double, they would become just the third duo in tennis history to have achieved the feat in the same year.
In 1994, Steffi Graff and Pete Sampras became the first players to complete the Sunshine Double in the same year. 22 years later, Victoria Azarenka and Novak Djokovic became the second duo to complete the Sunshine Double in the same year.
Alcaraz has won his last eight matches in straight sets, while Rybakina admitted after her Miami round-of-16 win over Elise Mertens that she was "not the freshest." It remains to be seen if Rybakina and Alcaraz can become the third duo to complete the Sunshine Double.