Aryna Sabalenka Wins 2025 Miami Open Title
In a commanding performance, Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus clinched her first Miami Open championship on Saturday, March 29, 2025, defeating American Jessica Pegula with a score of 7-5, 6-2 at Hard Rock Stadium. The match, which lasted one hour and 28 minutes, showcased Sabalenka's dominance throughout the tournament, as she did not drop a single set.
Sabalenka, the world No. 1, displayed her impressive skills by hitting three aces and winning 58 percent of her first serve points. She broke Pegula's serve a staggering seven times during the final, solidifying her superiority on the court. This victory marks the 19th title of Sabalenka's career, further enhancing her status in women's tennis.
After the match, an emotional Sabalenka expressed her admiration for Pegula, saying, "First of all, I’m so sorry. For real, if I could share the trophy with someone, I would definitely share it with you. You’re an incredible player. You always push me so hard to play my best. I always enjoy playing against you. It’s always great matches, a great level of tennis." She added, "Continue what you’re doing and I’m pretty sure we’re going to play many more finals. I’m not sure about the results, because honestly I don’t want to lose in the finals. It sucks, I know."
Pegula, who was aiming for her eighth career title, had a challenging road to the finals, battling through three grueling three-set matches. Despite her efforts, she was unable to overcome Sabalenka's powerful game. Pegula earned $597,890 from the tournament, bringing her career prize money to $17,736,539. After the match, she graciously congratulated Sabalenka, saying, "First, obviously, congratulations to you and your team. I really don’t want to like you right now, but you’re the best player in the world for a reason. You keep pushing everybody and challenging everybody to get better. Just congrats. An amazing couple of weeks here. The last month of tennis you’ve been able to play is amazing."
Sabalenka's journey to the final included impressive victories over several formidable opponents. She began the tournament with a decisive 6-3, 6-0 win against No. 64 Viktoriya Tomova, followed by a 6-1 victory over No. 102 Elena-Gabriela Ruse, who retired due to injury. In the quarterfinals, she defeated No. 15 Danielle Collins with a score of 6-4, 6-4, and then overcame No. 9 Qinwen Zheng in the semifinals, winning 6-2, 7-5. In total, Sabalenka spent 5 hours and 43 minutes on the court throughout the tournament.
Pegula's path to the final was equally intense, with a total court time of 9 hours and 44 minutes. She began with a 6-4, 6-4 win against No. 84 Bernarda Pera, followed by a marathon match against No. 33 Anna Kalinskaya that lasted 2 hours and 16 minutes. Pegula then defeated No. 29 Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 6-3 before battling through a tough three-set match against No. 60 Emma Raducanu. In the semifinals, she triumphed over wild-card No. 140 Alexandra Eala in another three-set match, winning 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-3.
Sabalenka's victory at the Miami Open is particularly significant as she becomes the sixth player to win the tournament while holding the No. 1 ranking, a feat previously accomplished by legends such as Serena Williams, who did it four times. Sabalenka's triumph also comes after a rocky start to the 2025 season, where she won the Brisbane title but faced defeats in her next two finals at the Australian Open and the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
The women's final was delayed due to a nearly 90-minute rain interruption in the men's doubles final, where Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic defeated Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool of Great Britain 7-6 (3), 6-3. Arevalo, the world No. 1 doubles player, extended his winning streak to ten matches with this victory.
Looking ahead, the men's final at the Miami Open is set for Sunday, March 30, 2025, where No. 4 seed Novak Djokovic will face unseeded 19-year-old Jakub Mensik. Djokovic is on the brink of achieving his 100th career title, having not lost a set throughout the tournament. He holds a 1-0 head-to-head advantage over Mensik, having defeated him in the quarterfinals of the Rolex Shanghai Masters last year.
As the Miami Open continues to unfold, fans are eagerly anticipating the men's final and the women's doubles final featuring Cristina Bucsa and Miyu Kato against Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider. The excitement surrounding the tournament is palpable, with Sabalenka's victory serving as a thrilling highlight.
Stay tuned for more updates and coverage from TennisConnected.com, as the Miami Open draws to a close with thrilling matches that highlight the best of tennis.
