Miami Gardens, Florida – Aryna Sabalenka entered the Miami Open final against Jessica Pegula with 18 career titles on her elite CV.
Miami’s open crown had turned out to be elusive until Saturday.
The seeded n ° 1 of the Bélarus eliminated the fourth seeded Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 for her first title of Miami Open in a revenge match of the Open 2024 final.
Sabalenka pulled its mortal forehand by displaying 22 winners on this wing to win the first prize of $ 1.1 million. Sabalenka struck a backhand on the match point, after which she looked up with both hands towards the air and looked up towards the sky.
“Thank goodness, the rain stopped,” said Sabalenka, greeting the crowd after the victory. “It was as if Miami was crying that I won this tournament. I liked playing here, every minute.”
Sabalenka, a triple champion of the Grand Chelem, had won the US Open on Pegula, also in two sets, 7-5, 7-5, but in 2025, the Sabalenka final was exhausted.
The 26 -year -old electric player had reached the final of four of the six events this year, but only made one title (Brisbane) ahead of Miami. Sabalenka lost in the Australian Open final and Indian Wells – the event that preceded Miami.
Sabalenka now lives in Miami, but Pegula has obtained support from the crowd. Pegula, from 31 -year -old Buffalo, has lived in Boca Raton since she was 13 years old and is the daughter of Terry Pegula, owner of the Buffalo Bills and Sabers. The NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, was present while the meetings of the League owners take place in Palm Beach on Monday nearby.
“Congratulations to you, Aryna, and your team,” said Pegula by accepting the finalist trophy on the field. “I really don’t want to love you right now. But you know, you’re the best player in the world for a reason. And you continue to push everyone and everyone to improve.”
None of the two players could well serve in the first set. Sabalenka broke the service of Pegula four times and won it 7-5, winning the last eight points in the set.
Pegula was a break at 3-2 but could not hold it in a Topsy set which also saw Pegula break the service of Sabalenka three times.
At 5-5, Sabalenka held the service to love for 6-5, then broke Pegula in Love after hitting three consecutive winners-two with a net.
Sabalenka leads the series against Pegula 7-2 and won the last three meetings.
The double male final, first on the map, was arrested by the rain in the second set with the seeded n ° 1 Marcelo Areval / Mate Pavic Pavic n ° 6 Julian Cash / Lloyd Glasspool 7-6, 3-2. 30-30. Arevalo / Pavic closed the championship quickly 7-6, 6-3, but the late rain started the female final at 3 p.m. and more than an hour.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
