Aryna Sabalenka proves that she is currently the measure of all things in women’s tennis. She achieves something special with the title in Miami.
Around two weeks after her triumph in Indian Wells, Aryna Sabalenka has won the next 1000 event. In the final of the WTA tournament in Miami, the defending champion defeated the American Coco Gauff (22) 6:2, 4:6, 6:3.
“That sounds crazy, sounds unreal,” said Sabalenka, referring to the fact that she is only the fifth player ever to win both hard court tournaments in March, the so-called “Sunshine Double”, in one year: “I’m just super grateful, super happy and super proud at the moment.”
Only Steffi Graf, Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka and Iga Swiatek had achieved this before Sabalenka. The 27-year-old, who had not dropped a set until the final, also extended her lead at the top of the world rankings.
Local matador Gauff gave the Belarusian a self-sacrificing fight after a largely hopeless first set. She won the second round.
However, Sabalenka’s first set loss meant that there was only limited real excitement: Gauff did not know how to punish her opponent’s careless exploitation of break points, as she made too many mistakes herself.
Sabalenka secured 1.15 million US dollars in prize money with her second tournament win in Florida’s metropolis, which was also her 24th career title.
After her successes at the beginning of the year in Brisbane and recently in Indian Wells, it was the third tournament win for the Belarusian this year.
