WATCH the Miami Open LIVE in Australia on beIN SPORTS | Subscribe here and take advantage of our 7-day FREE TRIAL

Swiatek dominated the opening set, breaking her opponent twice along the way, but failed to do so again for the rest of the match, with world No.50 Linette roaring back.

The crucial moment came when Swiatek was serving at 5-6 to force a tie-break in the second set.

Linette got a timely break and then kept her momentum in the decider, charging into a 5-2 lead and eventually getting over the line despite Swiatek showing some late resistance.

She is only the second player to beat Swiatek at a WTA 1000 event after losing the opening set, after Maria Sakkari in Doha earlier this season.

The world No.3 has now failed to progress beyond the quarter-finals of all four tournaments she has played in 2026, and accepts she must improve quickly.

"I stopped doing anything well tactically," Swiatek said. "It just was a bad match for me in the second and third sets. Whether that was unconsciously or consciously, it's hard for me to say.

"I need to work to get back from that, because I haven't felt things like that for like five years.

"I'll just get back to work and try to get something positive out of the practices, and try to figure it out."

Linette's reward for her superb victory is a third-round clash against rising star Alexandra Eala.

Elsewhere, former world No.2 Paula Badosa defeated Aliaksandra Sasnovich 7-5 6-3, while 45-year-old Venus Williams was beaten, with Great Britain's Fran Jones battling to a 7-5 7-5 win.

Badosa is scheduled to face No.18 seed Iva Jovic, while Jones faces a huge test against No.5 seed Jessica Pegula.