Aryna Sabalenka won her second consecutive Miami Open title on Saturday after beating Coco Gauff in three close sets.
Sabalenka defeated Gauff 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, thus completing the ‘Sunshine Double.’
Sabalenka has become only the fifth female player to complete the feat after Steffi Graf, Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka and Iga Swiatek.
How many Grand Slams will Aryna Sabalenka win this year?
She looks unstoppable right now!
The Belarusian has been dominant on the WTA Tour in recent years and has now won 45 of her 47 matches on US hard-courts since the start of the 2024 Cincinnati Open.
Across those 47 matches, only two players have emerged victorious against Sabalenka – who are they?
Mirra Andreeva
At the 2025 Indian Wells Open, Aryna Sabalenka looked set to win her first Californian title when she walked onto court with the much less experienced Mirra Andreeva.
Andreeva, 17, was playing in her second WTA 1000 final after winning the Dubai Tennis Championships the previous month.
The Russian proceeded to upset the odds in California, stunning Sabalenka 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.
During her post-match press conference, Sabalenka was asked whether she was ‘surprised’ by Andreeva.
“No, not really,” said the Belarusian. “Honestly, was me against me.
“I mean, I made a lot of unforced errors on important points, and I just let her play a little bit better.
“Yeah, at the beginning, everything was going quite straightforward, and then I just made a couple mistakes. She kind of like believed in herself.
“After that, I started playing much worse, and I was just trying to find my rhythm back but didn’t work this time.”
Who has impressed you the most?
Elena Rybakina
At the 2025 Cincinnati Open, Aryna Sabalenka defeated two Grand Slam champions on her way to the quarter-finals.
In round two [after receiving a bye] she knocked out 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova; and then dispatched 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu in round three.
With victory over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in round four, Sabalenka set up a meeting against current world number two Elena Rybakina.
Rybakina prevailed 6-1, 6-4 against the world number one.
Rybakina served 11 aces during the match and won 81 per cent of her first serve points.
After the match, as per BBC Sport, Rybakina said: “I’m happy with the serve. It was the key today.
“I served really well. If she had been serving well it would have been a totally different match. It was also intense from the baseline. I just hope to continue like this.”
Rybakina went on to lose in the semi-finals to Iga Swiatek.
Aryna Sabalenka’s next American event
After an extremely successful period in America, Sabalenka is set to spend her next few months in Europe.
The European clay-court swing will soon get underway, followed by the grass-court swing.
Aryna Sabalenka’s projected tournament schedule
- Madrid Open
- Italian Open
- French Open
- Berlin Grass Court Championships
- Wimbledon
- Canadian Open
- Cincinnati Open
- US Open
When analysing her tournament schedules from previous campaigns, it seems likely that Sabalenka will return to the US for the Cincinnati Open – which is scheduled to run from August 3 to 13.
The 27-year-old could return to the US a little earlier if she so desires. She could make her return at the Washington Open, which begins on July 27.
