Camille Naredo

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus celebrates match point after defeating Jasmine Paolini of Italy during their match on Day 10 of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 27, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. Al Bello, Getty Images/AFP 

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - MARCH 27: Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus celebrates match point after defeating Jasmine Paolini of Italy during their match on Day 10 of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 27, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida.   Al Bello/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by AL BELLO / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

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Miami Open Presented by Itau 2025 - Day 10

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1743319443021AFP__20250327__2207234729__v2__HighRes__MiamiOpenPresentedByItau2025Day10.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus celebrates match point after defeating Jasmine Paolini of Italy during their match on Day 10 of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 27, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. Al Bello, Getty Images/AFP "/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus celebrates match point after defeating Jasmine Paolini of Italy during their match on Day 10 of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 27, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. <em>Al Bello, Getty Images/AFP </em></span></span></span></div><p>MIAMI GARDENS -- World number one Aryna Sabalenka powered her way to the Miami Open title on Saturday, beating American Jessica Pegula 7-5 6-2 in the WTA 1000 event at Hard Rock Stadium.</p><p>The title was the Belarusian&#x27;s first at Miami and her second of the season following her January triumph in Brisbane.</p><p>Having lost the final at Indian Wells to Russian 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva earlier this month, Sabalenka was determined not to fall at the last hurdle again.</p><p>&quot;I&#x27;m super happy to have this trophy, I was able to play my best tennis in the final,&quot; said Sabalenka, who paid tribute to Pegula&#x27;s performance after repeating her win over her from last year&#x27;s US Open final.</p><p>Both players struggled to hold their serve in the first set, which saw seven breaks of serve, with Pegula causing Sabalenka some trouble when she brought her up to the net.</p><p>But the momentum shifted when Pegula was serving to stay in the set at 6-5 down and Sabalenka turned it on, producing a delicate forehand drop and then a superb down the line winner to take the set.</p><p>Once she recovered from being broken on her first service game of the second set, it was easier going for Sabalenka, whose bid for a third straight Australian Open title was thwarted in the Melbourne final by Madison Keys earlier this year.</p><p>Sabalenka broke twice to go 3-1 up and never looked in danger from that point on as she wrapped up the win in one hour 27 minutes.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2025/3/30/tennis-the-real-work-starts-now-alex-eala-says-after-historic-miami-open-run-1046">READ: ‘The real work starts now,’ Alex Eala says after historic Miami Open run</a></div><p>&quot;I think I was able to completely forget about (it being) the final, about the outside things and I was just so focused on the game,&quot; said Sabalenka.</p><p>In her last 14 matches against top 10 players, Sabalenka has won 12 and she credited her ability in the clutch moments for her record.</p><p>&quot;It is all about those key moments of the match, about playing aggressive and staying with the game plan, going for shots without being afraid of losing the point,&quot; she said.</p><p>It was the third time that Pegula has faced Sabalenka in a final and she has lost on all three occasions.</p><p>&quot;I consider myself one of the world’s best hard-court players, but she’s probably the best,&quot; Pegula conceded after the match.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2025/3/28/tennis-pegula-all-praises-for-really-good-eala-after-miami-open-semis-1442">READ: Pegula all praises for &#x27;really good&#x27; Eala after Miami Open semis</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>- Raising her level -</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gdmLvo4R79c?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div><p>&quot;She just keeps ... raising her level in key moments of the match when she needs to, and I feel like that was the big difference today and the last few times I have played her,&quot; she added</p><p>But Pegula, the world number four, said she was pleased to again have been a serious contender in a tournament.</p><p>&quot;Happy to be in another big 1000 final and having consistent results and keep going deep in tournaments. The reason we play is to put ourselves in good chances to win these events. I was able to do that the last couple weeks,&quot; she said.</p><p>The 26-year-old Sabalenka has now won eight WTA 1000 titles and 19 titles on the WTA Tour overall - 17 of which have come on hard courts including all three of her Grand Slam singles titles -- the 2023 Australian Open, the 2024 Australian Open and the 2024 US Open.</p><p>She looks a calmer, more focused, presence on court than in her earlier seasons when she was capable of bouts of rage when the going got tough.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2025/3/28/tennis-i-gave-everything-i-had-says-alex-eala-after-miami-open-exit-1708">READ: &#x27;I gave everything I had,&#x27; says Alex Eala after Miami Open exit</a></div><p>&quot;I think before, every time I would lose my serve, one game, I could just completely lose the match because I would still be thinking about that first game,&quot; she said.</p><p>Sabalenka said that her struggles in the past with her serve had allowed her to develop a stronger all-round game and more positive mentality.</p><p>&quot;When I was struggling with my serve I had to push myself on the return and had to play with something else. So now, every time I am losing (serve) I know that I have weapons, that I can return well and that I can break back,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;I think that challenge really helped me to be more focused and not get too crazy on court after losing a game on my serve,&quot; she added.</p><p>The men&#x27;s final on Sunday will feature Novak Djokovic up against Czech 19-year-old Jakub Mensik with the Serb looking for his 100th professional title.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/S7ydYB3GWVk?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ARjpvQDZFcw?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>World number one Aryna Sabalenka powered her way to the #MiamiOpen title on Saturday, beating American Jessica Pegula 7-5 6-2 in the WTA 1000 event at Hard Rock Stadium.</p>

World number one Aryna Sabalenka powered her way to the #MiamiOpen title on Saturday, beating American Jessica Pegula 7-5 6-2 in the WTA 1000 event at Hard Rock Stadium.

Tennis: Sabalenka sinks Pegula to win Miami Open

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Tennis: Sabalenka sinks Pegula to win Miami Open

Agence France-Presse,

Simon Evans

Published Mar 30, 2025 03:31 PM PHT

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