Aryna Sabalenka beats Coco Gauff in Miami final to seal Sunshine Double
World number one Aryna Sabalenka defeated hometown favourite Coco Gauff 6-2 4-6 6-3 in the Miami Open final on Saturday to complete the prestigious ‘Sunshine Double’.
The Belarusian arrived at the tournament having already claimed the Indian Wells crown and successfully retained her Miami title in a thrilling three-set encounter.
Victory means she joins an elite club of just five women to win both Californian and Floridian events back-to-back in the same season.
Sabalenka survives mid-match fightback
The top seed established early dominance by racing into a 2-0 lead before fending off resistance from the world number four to secure a double break.
A powerful serving display saw the defending champion win 73 per cent of her first-serve points while closing out the opening set in commanding fashion.
However, the American challenger, who hails from nearby Delray Beach, found her rhythm in a tightly contested middle set.
Gauff struck at the pivotal moment, breaking her opponent for the only time in the match to force a deciding set and delight the local crowd.
An elite club and staggering season record
The deciding set saw the tournament favourite immediately regain her composure, breaking early before holding to love in two consecutive service games.
She sealed the championship with her fourth break of the contest when her American rival sent a decisive backhand wide.
The triumph acts as revenge for the 2025 French Open final, where Gauff previously claimed a famous victory over her fierce competitor.
By capturing consecutive stateside titles, the world’s top-ranked player joins Steffi Graf, Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka and Iga Swiatek in achieving the elusive double.
It caps off an extraordinary start to the campaign, improving her formidable 2026 record to 23 wins and just a single defeat.
