The Miami Open has come under scrutiny this year, but the buzz surrounding the final between Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff proved why it can be such a compelling tournament.
Sabalenka defeated Gauff in three sets to become the first woman to win the Sunshine Double since Iga Swiatek in 2022.
The Miami crowd came out in full force to get a sight of the two top stars and find out who was going to lift the trophy at the Masters event.
Sabalenka and Gauff proved yet again why the WTA Tour is currently at one of the most exciting stages in its history.
Aryna Sabalenka vs Coco Gauff was absolutely the WTA at its best
Sabalenka and Gauff, along with Elena Rybakina, are undoubtedly the best players on the WTA Tour right now.
The two women have built up an impressive rivalry over the years and it is clear that fans are invested in what is going on in the women’s game at the moment.
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She looks unstoppable right now!
While much of the action on the Miami Open main court has been watched by a half-empty stadium, the court was absolutely rocking for Sabalenka and Gauff’s final.
Sinner’s semi-final with Alexander Zverev was extremely poorly attended, but the WTA Tour’s flagship match was a sell-out.
16,830 packed into the Hard Rock Cafe and they were rewarded with an extremely competitive match on the Miami Open’s main court.
It’s a testament to the power and star appeal of the WTA Tour currently that it feels like an even bigger deal than the men right now.
Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka’s crowd is one of the biggest in tennis
Gauff and Sabalenka packing in over 16,000 should be applauded because it rarely happens in professional tennis.
While exhibition matches have been known to have larger crowds, dedicated tennis tournaments are rarely bigger than the number at the Miami Open.
Do you think Coco Gauff will win a Grand Slam title this year?
Only the US Open’s Arthur Ashe Stadium with 23,771 can hold a bigger crowd than the one that watched the final in Miami.
It was bigger than the maximum capacity at Indian Wells and even the main courts at Wimbledon and Roland Garros.
Gauff, Sabalenka, and the WTA Tour should absolutely take this as an example that the quality of the women’s game is at an all-time high.
