Aryna Sabalenka defeated Coco Gauff in three sets to defend her Miami Open title on Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium. The world No. 1 completed the Sunshine Double by winning Indian Wells and Miami back-to-back. The match featured tense moments, including Sabalenka's irritation with noise from Gauff's player box.
Aryna Sabalenka claimed a hard-fought victory over Coco Gauff in the Miami Open women's singles final, securing her second consecutive title at the event. The Belarusian triumphed 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 after a competitive battle that leveled their head-to-head record at 7-6 in her favor. This win marked Sabalenka as only the fifth woman to achieve the Sunshine Double, joining Steffi Graf, Kim Clijsters, and Victoria Azarenka, according to tournament reports. Sabalenka had not dropped a set prior to the final and rediscovered her clinical form in the decisive third set, despite Gauff's strong crowd support on home soil. Early in the first set, at 2-3 during a crossover, Sabalenka shot an angry glance toward Gauff's box, irritated by loud cheering, particularly from Gauff's brother Cody. Marion Bartoli, commenting for Sky Sports, noted, “We had some of an angry look from Aryna Sabalenka towards Coco Gauff because she thought that one of Coco’s brothers was a bit too loud, so it’s getting a bit spicy in here!” Bartoli added that Gauff appeared lost on returns, struggling with Sabalenka's pace. Gauff mounted a comeback in the second set, holding from 3-2 after deuces and breaking Sabalenka at 5-4 with two unforced errors to take it 6-4, forcing a decider. However, Gauff faltered in the third, committing seven double faults overall and winning just 66% of first-serve points. Sabalenka shut out the distractions and prevailed 6-3. For Gauff, it was her first Miami Open final and first final of the year, providing momentum for the clay season. Ahead of the match, Sabalenka had received support from Kai Trump, granddaughter of Donald Trump, who posted on social media after watching her semifinal: “Had so much fun watching Aryna Sabalenka. Let’s get it Saturday.”
