World number one Aryna Sabalenka claimed her second consecutive Miami Open championship Saturday, defeating American star Coco Gauff 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 to achieve the rare ‘Sunshine Double’ distinction.
The Belarusian tennis champion’s victory over Gauff in their latest showdown makes her only the fifth woman in tennis history to capture both the Indian Wells and Miami tournaments in the same season. This accomplishment earns the nickname ‘Sunshine Double’ due to the California and Florida locations of these prestigious events.
Sabalenka dominated her first serves, winning 73 percent of those points while facing only two break point opportunities throughout the match. The defending champion had advanced to the final without losing a single set during the tournament.
During the awards ceremony, Sabalenka praised her opponent: “I want to start with (Coco). You’re a fighter and you also push me so hard to be a better player and I like our rivalry.” The victory gives Sabalenka a 7-6 career record against Gauff.
The match began with Sabalenka jumping ahead 2-0, but Gauff, who hails from nearby Delray Beach and was competing in her first Miami final, responded with a service hold at love. The Florida resident then saved three break points in her following service game to narrow the gap to 3-2.
However, Sabalenka maintained her composure and secured a double break advantage over the world’s fourth-ranked player before wrapping up the first set on her own serve.
The second set featured closely matched play with both players holding serve until Gauff managed her lone break of the contest against Sabalenka, pushing the match to a decisive third set.
In the final set, Sabalenka immediately broke Gauff’s serve, then held her own service games at love twice consecutively to build a 5-3 advantage. She clinched the championship with her fourth break of the match when Gauff’s backhand sailed wide.
This triumph makes Sabalenka the first player to win consecutive Miami Open titles since Ashleigh Barty accomplished the feat in 2019 and 2021. The 2020 tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sabalenka now joins an elite group including Iga Swiatek (2022), Victoria Azarenka (2016), Kim Clijsters (2005), and Steffi Graf (1994, 1996) as the only women to complete the ‘Sunshine Double.’
The victory improves Sabalenka’s 2025 record to an impressive 23-1, with her sole defeat coming in the Australian Open final against Elena Rybakina. She later defeated Rybakina in both the Indian Wells final and Miami semifinals.
Gauff offered gracious remarks following the match: “Aryna congratulations. We’ve had many battles, many finals and, yeah, I think you push me to be a better player. You’re a great fighter and hopefully we can play many more. I think we will.”
