Sabalenka’s latest title made her the first woman since Iga Swiatek in 2022 to sweep Indian Wells and Miami in the same season, and only the fifth woman to do it. It also gave her a second straight Miami crown and the 24th singles title of her career, further strengthening her grip on the top of the women’s tour.
Aryna Sabalenka takes control again after Gauff’s push
For a set and a half, Sabalenka looked ready to sprint away with the final. She broke early, drove her backhand through the court and repeatedly forced Gauff onto defense before the American raised her level, extended the rallies and stole the second set.
Sabalenka’s response was immediate. She broke for 1-0 in the third set and never gave the match back. She won 73% of her first-serve points and faced only two break points, numbers that left Gauff almost no room for error once the final tilted back toward the top seed.
Gauff still gave the afternoon its drama. The South Florida favorite defended with speed, forced Sabalenka to hit extra balls and turned what had looked like a runaway into a real fight. Even in defeat, she showed why this matchup remains one of the tour’s most compelling and why this rivalry keeps demanding big stages.
Aryna Sabalenka caps a dominant March
The Miami title carried extra weight because it finished the job Sabalenka began two weeks earlier at Indian Wells, where she saved championship point against Elena Rybakina to win the desert crown. Carrying that form across the country and through another WTA 1000 draw made this feel less like a hot week and more like a full-month statement.
Miami had already become comfortable territory for Sabalenka after she won her first title at the event in 2025, and this defense felt even more significant because of the opponent across the net. Gauff had beaten her in the 2025 French Open final and earlier in the 2023 U.S. Open final, so Saturday’s result landed as both a successful title defense and a sharp answer inside a rivalry that keeps returning to the biggest stages.
The rivalry is not going anywhere
Sabalenka now leads the head-to-head 7-6, a margin so slim it says as much as any description could. Gauff’s speed, defense and improving aggression continue to trouble her, while Sabalenka’s power keeps forcing Gauff to absorb pressure from the opening ball of the rally.
That balance is what made the Miami final feel bigger than a single trophy. Sabalenka left with history, another 1000-level title and the strongest spring momentum in the sport. Gauff left with another hard lesson, but also another reminder that she can push the world No. 1 deep into discomfort — and that this rivalry should have plenty more chapters ahead as the tour turns to clay.
