Martina Navratilova backs Carlos Alcaraz and Elena Rybakina to win Miami Open: They are the players to beat

© Provided by India Today Martina Navratilova backs Carlos Alcaraz and Elena Rybakina to win Miami Open: They are the players to beat

18-time Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova has said that she is backing Carlos Alcaraz and Elena Rybakina to win the Miami Open and complete the 'Sunshine Double'. Both Alcaraz and Rybakina will be looking to continue their winning form, having triumphed at Indian Wells last week.

Speaking to Tennis Channel, Navratilova said both Alcaraz and Rybakina have a good shot at winning the Miami Open and completing the 'Sunshine Double'. Alcaraz beat Russia's Daniil Medvedev in the final of Indian Wells, while Rybakina overcame Aryna Sabalenka to win her maiden Indian Wells title. 

"You have to go with Alcaraz and Rybakina. I think they have a really good shot at winning the Sunshine Double," said Navratilova.

The 66-year-old said both Alcaraz and Rybakina are the players to beat at the Miami Open. Rybakina beat Belgium's Elise Mertens to book a spot in the quarte-final of the tournament.  

"They both have a shot at it, they are the players to beat. Rybakina is in form and healthy," Navratilova added.

She went on to shower praise on Alcaraz, saying every match is like a Wimbledon final for him, adding that he's looking very sharp after fixing his leg injury. Alcaraz recovered from an injury to win the Indian Wells and is set to face Tommy Paul in the fourth round of Miami Open.

"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," said Navratilova.

If Alcaraz and Rybakina triumph at the Miami Open, it would be just the third time two players have done the double in the same year following Steffi Graf and Pete Sampras (1994), and Victoria Azarenka and Novak Djokovic (2016).