Tennis: Aryna Sabalenka bests home favorite Coco Gauff to claim euphoric Sunshine Double at Miami Open 2026

Aryna Sabalenka successfully defended her women’s single title at the 2026 Miami Open on Saturday (28 March), dispatching U.S. tennis star Coco Gauff in little more than two hours of play at Hard Rock Stadium.

The 27-year-old from Minsk looked formidable as ever against her younger counterpart, taking full advantage of the home favourite's unpredictable serve to claim her second-straight WTA 1000-level tournament victory in three sets, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.

She became the first player since Australia’s Ashleigh Barty to win the tournament back-to-back, and the first since Poland’s Iga Swiatek to achieve the elusive “Sunshine Double,” – a superlative awarded to players who win Indian Wells and the Miami Open in the same year.

Joining the likes of Steffi Graf, Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka and Swiatek in women’s tennis history, Sabalenka raised her arms in silent triumph at the conclusion of the match, before embracing one of her biggest rivals at centre court.

“Dog, engagement, Sunshine Double, it’s surreal,” she said after the match, reflecting on a month in which she got engaged, got a puppy and won two of the sport’s biggest tournaments outside of the four Grand Slams.

“Honestly, I don’t know what else to say. But I want to start with you,” she added, levelling a few compliments in Gauff’s direction. “You’re a fighter. You also pushed me so hard to be a better player, and I like our rivalry. You’re incredible.”

The four-time Grand Slam champion started the match on a high note, earning the first break of the women’s singles final, in the first game, of the first set. From there, she quickly solidified her lead with yet another break at 5-2 to take the first set comfortably.

At this point, Gauff seemed down. But as it turned out, she was far from out. The 22-year-old from Delray Beach, Florida, roared to life in the second set, saving three break points at 3-3, before stealing one her own to force a third set against the indomitable World No. 1.

In the end, it was all for nothing though. Sabalenka found another gear entirely, capitalizing on every error and double fault from Gauff to run away with the match. She ultimately won 74.5 percent of first serve points, and 33.8 percent of first return points.

She now holds the edge in head-to-head encounters between the two players at 7-6.

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