Aryna Sabalenka is the 2026 Miami Open champion, having beaten Coco Gauff in the final.
In doing so, the Belarusian has now become just the fifth woman in tennis history to have completed the Sunshine Double, adding this crown to her Indian Wells title from earlier this month.
Reacting afterwards, she unsurprisingly cut an enthused figure, having battled back well after losing the second set.
However, she had to address one mid-match controversy, with Aryna Sabalenka being handed a warning by the chair umpire for an audible obscenity.
Aryna Sabalenka admits the Miami Open crowd ‘frustrated’ her
The world number one began by explaining the whirlwind that the last month had been, beaming as she claimed: “I did not have a moment to stop and look back at what just happened in the last months, but I am so proud of the work we have done, and the fight I was able to bring on court and the level. Just wow.”
Then, discussing that second set, Sabalenka admitted that she always knew Coco Gauff would provide some pushback. Historically, the American has troubled Sabalenka in finals, with both of her Grand Slam titles coming at her expense.
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She added: “I know she is a fighter and she is going to fight for every opportunity. She played incredibly, but I made a couple of errors in the last game and gave her the set.
“I was really mentally strong in my head. I knew I was doing everything right. It was just a matter of a few points, and trying to stay focused and trying to do better the next time. That was the mentality going into the third set.”
Sabalenka concluded by touching on the Miami Open crowd, and why they left her so ‘frustrated’ that she was unable to contain her anger: “I got a little frustrated at one moment.
“Definitely not proud of what I yelled. You cannot do that. But I had a lot of support here as well.
“I knew what to expect coming into this match, and I really enjoyed it. Even though they were cheering for her, I felt like they were cheering for great tennis, and I felt the respect, and I am really grateful.”
Then, in her championship speech, she laughed as she added: “I don’t know where you are, that lady that yelled and hoped for the out. I shouldn’t be that rude. But come on, you cannot do that. But let’s agree that we both were wrong.”
Coco Gauff also had a message for Sabalenka after the Miami Open final, delivering yet another mature and lighthearted speech in the face of such crushing disappointment.
The four other women to have completed the Sunshine Double as Aryna Sabalenka wins Miami Open
As touched upon earlier, Sabalenka’s Miami Open win, combined with her Indian Wells triumph, makes her just the fifth woman to ever complete the Sunshine Double.
Steffi Graf was the first to achieve this feat in 1994, and remains the only female to have ever done it twice, backing it up two years later in 1996.
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Kim Clijsters was the next to manage it, doing so nine years after Graf’s second success, before Victoria Azarenka became the third in 2016.
Iga Świątek was the most recent victor of the Sunshine Double, until Sabalenka’s heroics this year.
It typifies what has been an electric start to the season for the 27-year-old so far, and it could be about to get better as she heads back to the clay-court swing where she had such success last year.
