Aryna Sabalenka on Saturday became the fifth woman to complete the Sunshine Double with a thrilling three-set win over Coco Gauff in Miami. The World No.1 also erased all doubts about who the best player in the world is right now, with an emphatic 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 win over Gauff to become the first player to complete the Sunshine Double since Iga Swiatek in 2022.
With the win, Sabalenka improved to 7-6 against Gauff at the WTA Tour, having now won their last two meetings. She also successfully defended her Miami Open title, dropping just one set en route. She is the first player to win back-to-back titles at the event since Ashleigh Barty in 2019 and 2021, and the first to do so in consecutive years since Serena Williams from 2013 to 2015.
“It means a lot, Sabalenka said in her post-match press conference. “My goal always been to put my name in history, and I just did it. It just sounds so unreal. I don’t know how I was able to achieve that, but I’m super proud right now. Of course, of course, super happy with this beautiful trophy.”
Sabalenka bags 24th WTA singles title
The win marks the 24th WTA singles title of her career and her 30th overall, including six in doubles. Among them: four Grand Slam singles titles, two in doubles, 11 WTA 1000 singles titles and two more in doubles, one of which came in Miami in 2019. She has compiled those totals while spending 83 weeks at World No. 1, including an active streak that has reached 75 weeks.
“Coco, you’re so good at speeches,” Sabalenka said during the trophy presentation. “Honestly, I don’t know what else to say. But I want to start with you. You’re a fighter. You also pushed me so hard to be a better player, and I like our rivalry. You’re incredible. I’m happy to see you back in the finals and I really hope to play many more. So, congrats to you and your team.”
After consolidating, Sabalenka again used the backhand to carve up the court, holding for 3-1 with another angled winner. Gauff stayed within reach with a gutsy hold for 3-2 in a game that lasted more than eight minutes and required her to save three break points. But Sabalenka responded with an ace to hold for 4-2 and then broke for 5-2 with yet another winner, giving herself the chance to serve out the set.
Her versatility was on full display in the next game. She forced Gauff side to side, approached the net for a winner and then fired a backhand winner a few points later to seal the opening set in 38 minutes.
Gauff fights back in second set
The second set featured more brilliance from Sabalenka, but it was Gauff’s fight that ultimately swung it in the American’s favor. Down break point at 3-3, the 22-year-old scrambled out of danger once again, knowing a late break would all but end her chances. She was rewarded for her efforts a few games later when she broke Sabalenka for the first, and only time, to steal the set and force a decider.
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But the third set belonged entirely to Sabalenka. Gauff served well, but Sabalenka served great, winning 74% of her first-serve points and 61% on her second serve, numbers that made a sustained resistance from Gauff nearly impossible. When the World No. 1 broke with a backhand winner for 1-0, the tone of the set was, well, set.
She continued to spray winners off both wings. She ripped a backhand winner down the line to seal the hold for 2-0, then a forehand winner to help secure a crucial hold for 5-3, before breaking Gauff one final time to cement her place in the history books. The final point landed out with 2 hours and 9 minutes on the match clock in what was her toughest test in what had otherwise been a routine week in the 305.
