Sabalenka Wins 'Sunshine Double' After Indian Wells Victory

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka claims her third title of 2026 with a win over Coco Gauff in the Miami Open final.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 9:41pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the intense action and energy of a tennis match, with overlapping planes of bright, vibrant colors representing the power and movement of the players.Sabalenka's dominant start to the 2026 season continues with a hard-fought victory over rising star Gauff in the Miami Open final.Today in Miami

Aryna Sabalenka, the world's top-ranked women's tennis player, won the Miami Open on Saturday, defeating American Coco Gauff in three sets. This victory marks Sabalenka's third title of the 2026 season and makes her the fifth player to achieve the 'Sunshine Double' by winning both the Indian Wells and Miami tournaments.

Why it matters

Sabalenka's dominant start to the season, with just one loss in 24 matches, has cemented her status as the player to beat on the WTA Tour. Her ability to bounce back from a tough loss in the Australian Open final and then win prestigious titles like Indian Wells and Miami demonstrates her mental toughness and skill.

The details

Sabalenka won the Miami Open final 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 over Gauff in a match that lasted 2 hours and 9 minutes. The Belarusian star had not dropped a set against any opponent other than Elena Rybakina, whom she had previously defeated, prior to the final. Gauff fought hard to take a set from Sabalenka, but the world No. 1 ultimately proved too strong, relying on her powerful serve and groundstrokes to secure the victory.

  • Sabalenka won the WTA 1000 tournament in Miami on Saturday, April 5, 2026.
  • This victory comes after Sabalenka won the Indian Wells tournament earlier in the season.

The players

Aryna Sabalenka

The world No. 1 women's tennis player, who has now won 3 titles in 2026 and is the 5th player to achieve the 'Sunshine Double' by winning both Indian Wells and Miami.

Coco Gauff

The 22-year-old American tennis player who reached her first Miami Open final, but was ultimately defeated by Sabalenka in three sets.

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What they’re saying

“I know Coco well, I knew she wasn't going to give me this final easily. I knew she was going to fight, run around, bring every ball back to me. I missed a few opportunities in this second set but I wanted to stay positive for the third.”

— Aryna Sabalenka, World No. 1 tennis player

What’s next

Sabalenka will look to continue her dominant start to the season and add to her growing list of titles, while Gauff will aim to use this final appearance as a springboard to more success on the WTA Tour.

The takeaway

Aryna Sabalenka's ability to bounce back from a tough loss at the Australian Open and then win prestigious titles like the 'Sunshine Double' demonstrates her mental toughness and skill as the clear top player on the women's tour right now.