MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Aryna Sabalenka finally captured the coveted Miami Open title after besting Jessica Pegula in the finals on Saturday. Sabalenka, seeded No. 1, triumphed over fourth seed Pegula with a 7-5, 6-2 victory, clinching the Miami Open crown which had previously eluded her.
Known for her powerful forehand, Sabalenka unleashed 24 winners, securing a $1.1 million prize. The match concluded with a backhand passing shot, prompting Sabalenka to celebrate by raising her arms in victory and expressing gratitude for the end of the rain. Reflecting her emotions during the trophy ceremony, Sabalenka humorously noted, “Thank God the rain stopped. It was like Miami was crying that I won this tournament.” This victory is a significant milestone for Sabalenka, a three-time Grand Slam champion who previously defeated Pegula at the 2024 U.S. Open.
The 26-year-old Sabalenka, a formidable presence on the court, has reached the finals in four out of six tournaments this year. Before Miami, her sole title win was in Brisbane, following losses in both the Australian Open and Indian Wells finals. Now residing in Miami, Sabalenka expressed joy at securing a triumph in a place that feels like home. She introduced her crystal trophy at the post-match interview, emphasizing her happiness in achieving her best performance on a major stage.
Taking time to recover and relax in Miami before the start of the clay season, Sabalenka revealed plans to celebrate with her team, saying, “My team is so exhausted so today we will chill, but tomorrow I’m going to force them to have drinks, burgers, pizza (and) have fun. We struggled with those tough finals, all of which were kind of depressing. Now, it’s time to celebrate and remember this victory.”
During the trophy ceremony, Pegula acknowledged Sabalenka’s prowess, referring to her as “the best player in the world for a reason,” and praising the challenges Sabalenka posed that pushed everyone to elevate their game. Despite Pegula receiving support from the local crowd — being a Boca Raton resident since childhood and daughter of the Buffalo Bills and Sabres owner Terry Pegula — it was Sabalenka’s day.
Among the spectators was NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Pegula, familiar with his presence from before, noted his appearance with family prior to the match and found humor in their meeting. The match itself saw both players struggle with serves in the first set. Sabalenka, however, managed to pull ahead, breaking Pegula’s serve several times to clinch the set at 7-5, dominating the following rallies with winners.
Sabalenka now boasts a 7-2 head-to-head record against Pegula, having emerged victorious in the last three meetings — all final matches. Despite the repeated losses, Pegula maintained a positive outlook on the challenge posed by Sabalenka, remarking upon Sabalenka’s dominant court presence over the past year.
The men’s doubles final was also part of the tournament, albeit delayed by rain. Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic, the top seeds, ultimately secured victory over Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool, winning 7-6, 6-3 after a rain-interrupted start to the women’s final.