Sabalenka Secures First Miami Open Championship
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Synopsis
Aryna Sabalenka has made history by winning her first Miami Open title, defeating Jessica Pegula in a thrilling final. The world No. 1 showcased her skills by securing a 7-5, 6-2 victory, marking a significant milestone in her career.
Key Takeaways
- Aryna Sabalenka wins her first Miami Open title.
- Defeated Jessica Pegula in the final.
- Did not lose a set in the tournament.
- Achieved eight WTA 1000 singles titles.
- Her 19th title on the Hologic WTA Tour.
Miami, March 30 (NationPress) Aryna Sabalenka has claimed her first Miami Open title by defeating Jessica Pegula of the USA in a thrilling final.
In a repeat of last year’s US Open final, Sabalenka, ranked world No. 1, faced a tough challenge as her powerful serve was broken three times in the first set. Nevertheless, she maintained her composure and secured a crucial break at 5-6, leading her to a 7-5, 6-2 triumph over the fourth-ranked Pegula in just 1 hour and 28 minutes, marking her inaugural win at the Miami Open Masters 1000.
This victory is significant for Sabalenka, who had recently suffered narrow defeats in her last two finals, at the Australian Open (against Madison Keys) and Indian Wells (against Mirra Andreeva).
"At last, I was able to showcase my best tennis in the final, and I am incredibly pleased with the outcome and my performance over these past months. I’m thrilled to lift this beautiful crystal Butch Buchholz trophy.
“Going into this match, my mindset was that regardless of the circumstances, even if she broke me, I would remain focused, fight for every point, and stay resilient.
“I really didn’t want to face another final loss; it's incredibly challenging to lose at this stage. If someone had told me it would be a tough fight, I would have said, ‘I’m prepared for that,’” Sabalenka remarked.
With this win, Sabalenka has increased her tally to eight WTA 1000 singles titles, matching that of Maria Sharapova. The only players with more WTA 1000 titles since its inception in 2009 are Serena Williams (13), Victoria Azarenka (10), Iga Swiatek (10), Simona Halep (9), and Petra Kvitova (9).
Overall, this victory represents Sabalenka's 19th title on the Hologic WTA Tour, with 17 of those titles coming on her preferred hard court surface. This includes all three of her Grand Slam singles titles: the 2023 Australian Open, the 2024 Australian Open, and the 2024 US Open, according to WTA reports.
The 26-year-old remarkably did not drop a single set throughout her six matches, overcoming defending champion Danielle Collins, Olympic gold medalist and ninth-ranked Qinwen Zheng, seventh-ranked Jasmine Paolini, and fourth-ranked Pegula, who is arguably the second-best hard-court player worldwide.
This marks only the second occasion in Sabalenka’s career where she has defeated three Top 10 players in a single tournament, the first being at the 2022 WTA Finals (Pegula, Ons Jabeur, and Swiatek).
