Sabalenka completes Sunshine Double
Aryna Sabalenka beat Coco Gauff 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 to win the Miami Open and complete the rare Sunshine Double (Indian Wells + Miami) — her second straight big-title and a statement that’s helped cement her 2026 dominance. She’s now won 23 of 24 matches this year with her only loss in the Australian Open final, and post-match exchanges highlighted the rivalry and mutual respect between Sabalenka and Gauff. (x.com) (bbc.com) (espn.com)
The Miami champion picked up 1,000 WTA ranking points and $1,151,380 in winner’s prize money, a payout that extended her lead at the top of the rankings. (tennis365.com) The trophy was her 11th WTA 1000 title, and she became the first player to complete the Indian Wells–Miami sweep in both singles and doubles (she previously achieved the doubles sweep in 2019). (en.wikipedia.org) Her head‑to‑head with Coco Gauff moved to 7–6 in her favor after the final, shifting the dynamic in one of the tour’s most discussed young rivalries. (profootballnetwork.com) The final drew a sellout crowd of 16,830 at Hard Rock Stadium, and the runner‑up collected $612,340 and is set to rise back to No. 3 in the WTA rankings on Monday. (usatoday.com) (tennis365.com) Sabalenka described the run as “unreal” in her champion’s press conference and told reporters she was “not even close to the legends” despite the historic month. (wtatennis.com) Gauff said she felt “nowhere near my peak” and later acknowledged she “gave away too many free points,” while praising the experience of a Miami homecoming before the clay season begins. (si.com) (profootballnetwork.com)
