Aryna Sabalenka entered the Miami Open final with 18 career titles, but the elusive Miami crown remained out of reach—until Saturday.
The No. 1 seed from Belarus defeated fourth-seeded American Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2, capturing her first Miami Open title in a rematch of the 2024 U.S. Open final. Sabalenka, a three-time Grand Slam champion, showcased her powerful forehand, landing 22 winners to secure the $1.1 million first prize. On match point, she struck a backhand passing shot before raising her hands to the sky.
“Thank God the rain stopped,” Sabalenka said. “It was like Miami was crying that I won this tournament. I enjoyed playing here, every minute of it.”
Despite reaching four finals in six tournaments this year, Sabalenka had claimed only one title (Brisbane) before Miami, falling short at the Australian Open and Indian Wells. Her victory over Pegula extended her head-to-head dominance to 7-2, marking her third consecutive win over the American.
Pegula, 31, had the home crowd’s backing, having lived in Boca Raton since age 13. The daughter of Buffalo Bills and Sabres owner Terry Pegula, she acknowledged Sabalenka’s dominance.
“You’re the best player in the world for a reason,” Pegula said. “You keep challenging everyone to get better. The level of tennis you’ve been able to play is amazing.”
The match saw both players struggle to hold serve early, with Sabalenka breaking Pegula four times in the first set. Pegula led 3-2 at one stage but failed to maintain her advantage. At 5-5, Sabalenka held serve at love before breaking Pegula at love with three consecutive winners to close out the set.
Rain delayed the final by over an hour, also interrupting the men’s doubles match. No. 1 seeds Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic overcame No. 6 Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool 7-6, 6-3 to claim the championship.
Source: Swifteradio.com
