Top seed Aryna Sabalenka defeated fourth seed Jessica Pegula 7-5 6-2 to finally clinch the Miami Open title, having previously never been past the quarterfinal stage. The world No. 1 has secured her third straight hardcourt final win over the American following victories in Cincinnati and the 2024 US Open. With this triumph, Sabalenka extended her head-to-head lead to 7-2.
Sabalenka started shakily, facing two break points in the opening game, but she steadied herself and confidently took a 2-0 lead. In the third game, she once again struggled on serve, and this time, Pegula capitalized on her second break point to get on the board. Pegula built on that momentum, winning three straight games to edge ahead 3-2. However, Sabalenka responded in kind, reeling off three consecutive games of her own—including two crucial breaks—to seize a 5-3 lead.
Serving for the set, Sabalenka faced fierce resistance as Pegula surged to a 40-0 lead and broke back on her second opportunity, leveling the score at 5-5. Ultimately, the set concluded in dramatic fashion, with Sabalenka breaking Pegula at love in the final…
