Sabalenka beats Gauff to complete ‘Sunshine Double’

World number one, Aryna Sabalenka, beat Coco Gauff 6-2 4-6 6-3 to retain her Miami Open title and extend her exceptional start to 2026.

Belarusian Sabalenka, 27, is the fifth female player, and the first since Iga Swiatek in 2022, to complete the ‘Sunshine Double’ by winning titles at Indian Wells and Miami in the same season.

Victoria Azarenka, Kim Clijsters and Steffi Graf are the other three women to have previously achieved that feat.

Sabalenka has won three WTA Tour titles and 23 of her 24 matches during this calendar year.

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Her only loss was in January’s Australian Open final to world number two Elena Rybakina, who had been the only player to win a set against Sabalenka in 2026 before American Gauff sent the Miami final into a decider.

Sabalenka said on Sky Sports: “I haven’t had a moment to stop, look back and realise what’s happened in the past months.

“I’m so proud of the work we’ve done and the fight I was able to bring on court.

“Coco will fight for every opportunity, and she played incredibly, but I was mentally strong. I knew I was doing everything right, and it was just a matter of a few points.”

Despite losing, Gauff will move above Poland’s Swiatek to third in the world when the rankings are next updated.

Both of the 22-year-old’s Grand Slam victories were sealed with wins in finals against Sabalenka, and the pair’s head-to-head record was level at 6-6 before Saturday’s match.

Sabalenka had looked on course for a more convincing win when she broke in the very first game and raced through the first set.

Gauff responded well, saving break points at 2-2 and 3-3 in set two before converting a set point on her opponent’s serve to level the contest.

But four-time major champion Sabalenka gained an important break in the opening game of the decider, and she clinched victory on her first match point when Gauff went wide with a backhand.

Meanwhile, Great Britain’s Henry Patten and Finnish partner Harri Helioevaara were beaten 6-4 6-2 in the final of the men’s doubles by Italian pair Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori.

World number two Jannik Sinner plays Czech 21st seed Jiri Lehecka in the men’s singles final on Sunday.

Like Sabalenka, Italian Sinner is aiming to follow up a victory at Indian Wells with another title in Miami.

(BBC)