Aryna Sunshine Double-enka! Sabalenka beats Coco Gauff to complete Indian Wells-Miami sweep

Aryna Sabalenka has battled past Coco Gauff, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, to not only win her second straight Miami Open title, but to complete the rare Sunshine Double, having also won Indian Wells two weeks ago.

She’s just the fifth woman ever to win Indian Wells and Miami in the same season, joining an exclusive list of fellow WTA legends.

WOMEN TO WIN THE SUNSHINE DOUBLE (since 1989):

• Steffi Graf [1994, 1996]
• Kim Clijsters [2005]
• Victoria Azarenka [2016]
• Iga Swiatek [2022]
• Aryna Sabalenka [2026]

The possibility of winning the Sunshine Double on the women’s tour began in 1989, when Indian Wells joined Miami on the WTA calendar.

And there’s more.

Sabalenka is just the second woman ever to win the Sunshine Double as world No. 1, and with all of the pressure that comes along with that.

The only other woman ever to achieve that feat is Steffi Graf, who was ranked No. 1 during both of her Sunshine Double sweeps in 1994 and 1996—in fact, she was ranked No. 1 for the entirety of both of those years.

Victoria Azarenka and Iga Swiatek weren’t too far away when they won their Sunshine Doubles—Azarenka was No. 15 during Indian Wells and No. 8 in Miami, while Swiatek was No. 4 in Indian Wells and No. 2 in Miami.

Incredibly, Kim Clijsters went into the Sunshine Swing in 2005 ranked No. 133—yes, No. 133—as she was coming back from a wrist injury that had ruined her 2004 season. She was also unseeded and had to win seven matches en route to both titles. She soared from No. 133 to No. 38 after winning Indian Wells, and from No. 38 to No. 17 after winning Miami.

With a dead even head-to-head of 6-6 going into the final, many were expecting a tough battle between Sabalenka and Gauff. And they certainly got one, as after Sabalenka broke twice en route to taking a relatively uneventful first set, Gauff tightened the screws and stayed on serve with her for most of the second set before finally sneaking out her first break of the match in the very last game to send it to a decider.

But Sabalenka broke in the very first game of the third set and was always out in front from there as the two traded holds over the next seven games, before Sabalenka broke one last time to seal the victory.

Sabalenka also becomes the first player ever to beat Gauff in a hard-court final—the American had been 9-0 in title matches on this surface coming into Saturday’s championship, which included famously beating Sabalenka herself for her first Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open.

The silver lining for Gauff? She’s projected to move up from No. 4 to No. 3 when the new WTA rankings come out on Monday, passing Iga Swiatek.

Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina will remain No. 1 and No. 2, respectively.