MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka defeated Coco Gauff 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 on Saturday to win the Miami Open women’s singles title and complete the prestigious Sunshine Double.
The top-seeded Belarusian powered past the fourth-seeded South Floridian at Hard Rock Stadium, successfully defending her crown and further cementing her dominance atop the women’s game.
The final, which lasted two hours and nine minutes, marked the 13th meeting between Sabalenka and Gauff, with the rivalry entering the match tied 6-6.
Gauff, who defeated Sabalenka in the 2023 U.S. Open and 2025 French Open finals, pushed the world No. 1 to three sets, but Sabalenka’s power and consistency proved decisive.
Sabalenka took control early, winning the opening set 6-2 in 38 minutes behind a strong serve and aggressive baseline play. Gauff responded in the second set, using improved serving and sharp backhands to claim a 6-4 set and force a decider.
In the third, Sabalenka regained momentum, mixing pace and precision to build a lead before closing out the match 6-3 after a late double fault by Gauff.
Gauff’s off-and-on serve created seven double faults while Sabalenka registered none.
Sabalenka did not drop a set en route to the final, including a straight-sets win over Elena Rybakina in the semifinals. She extended her streak of finals appearances and added another WTA 1000 title to her resume after also winning Indian Wells earlier this month.
Gauff reached the final with a dominant semifinal victory over Karolina Muchova but fell short in her bid for a Miami Open title. It marked her first singles loss on a hard-floor after winning nine straight singles finals.
Meanwhile, Sabalenka became the first woman since Iga Świątek in 2022 to complete the Sunshine Double, underscoring her status as the world’s top-ranked player. She is the fifth woman in history to achieve the feat.
The Miami Open championship win brought her to 24 WTA singles titles, including three titles in the 2026 season so far (Brisbane, Indian Wells, and Miami).
The final was attended by Kai Trump, granddaughter of President Donald Trump, and a golfer at the University of Miami. She posted a photo with the world’s best at the tournament on social media Friday.
According to the Sporting News, the Sabalenka vs Gauff matchup in the Miami Open final had the largest crowd (16,380 fans) to ever watch a WTA final in North America.
Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.
