World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka secured the Sunshine Double on Saturday night, defeating Coco Gauff 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 to retain her Miami Open title.
The 27-year-old Belarusian became the fifth woman in history to win both the Indian Wells and Miami titles in the same year, joining Steffi Graf, Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka, and Iga Swiatek. Sabalenka also joins Graf as the only reigning world No. 1 to achieve the feat, describing the milestone as “unreal” and expressing pride and gratitude.
The victory marked Sabalenka’s 12th consecutive win, reinforcing her dominance after edging Elena Rybakina in a thrilling Indian Wells final. She ended Gauff’s perfect hard-court finals record and avenged her 2025 Roland Garros defeat, improving her record this season to 23-1 with three titles.
Sabalenka now holds 24 career titles, including 21 on hard courts, capping a remarkable month on and off the court. She displayed dominance throughout the match, facing only two break points, while Gauff’s seven double faults proved costly.
In the deciding set, Sabalenka broke early and maintained control, sealing victory with a powerful forehand as Gauff’s final return sailed wide. Reflecting on the match, Sabalenka said she stayed mentally focused, anticipating Gauff’s resilience and fighting spirit in crucial moments.
