Sabalenka Wins Miami Open, Completes 'Sunshine Double'

Belarusian star defeats hometown favorite Coco Gauff for second straight Miami title.

Mar. 29, 2026 at 5:39am

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World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus defeated American teenager Coco Gauff in the final of the 2026 Miami Open tennis tournament, winning her second consecutive title at the event. The victory also gave Sabalenka a 7-6 lead in her head-to-head record against Gauff.

Why it matters

The Miami Open is one of the most prestigious non-Grand Slam tennis tournaments, and Sabalenka's back-to-back titles cement her status as an elite player on the WTA Tour. Gauff's loss in her hometown event is a disappointment, but the 19-year-old American remains one of the rising stars in women's tennis.

The details

Sabalenka, the world No. 2, defeated the 19-year-old Gauff in straight sets to capture her second straight Miami Open title. The final score was 6-4, 6-3 as Sabalenka overpowered the hometown favorite with her powerful groundstrokes.

  • The 2026 Miami Open final took place on March 29, 2026.
  • Sabalenka won the Miami Open title in 2025 as well.

The players

Aryna Sabalenka

A 24-year-old professional tennis player from Belarus who is currently ranked No. 2 in the world.

Coco Gauff

A 19-year-old American professional tennis player who is one of the rising stars on the WTA Tour.

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What they’re saying

“Coco is such a talented player and it was not easy to beat her in front of her hometown crowd. I'm proud of my performance and happy to defend my Miami title.”

— Aryna Sabalenka

“Aryna was just too strong for me today. I'll learn from this experience and come back even stronger next year.”

— Coco Gauff

What’s next

Sabalenka will look to continue her strong start to the 2026 season and challenge for her first Grand Slam title at the upcoming French Open. Gauff will aim to rebound from this defeat and make a deep run at one of the upcoming major tournaments.

The takeaway

Sabalenka's dominant performance in the Miami Open final underscores her status as one of the premier players on the WTA Tour, while Gauff's loss on her home court shows she still has room to grow in order to reach the very top of the women's game.