Aryna Sabalenka issued a heartfelt apology to Jessica Pegula for defeating her in yet another final, playfully suggesting, “If I could share my prize money with you, I would!” The world No. 1 dominated the American to win the Miami Open title on Saturday night, securing a 7-5, 6-2 victory at Hard Rock Stadium. This triumph marks Sabalenka’s second title of 2025 and her third consecutive win over the world No. 4, following victories in the US Open and Cincinnati Open finals last year.
During the trophy ceremony, Sabalenka spoke warmly to Pegula: “First of all, Jess, I’m truly sorry. If I could share the trophy, prize money, points—everything—with you, I would. I feel for you! You’re an amazing player, always pushing me to play my best. You’re truly great, and I want to congratulate you and your team on a fantastic few weeks. I always enjoy our matches—they’re tough battles, great matches, and high-level tennis.”
Sabalenka continued, “Keep up the great work—I’m sure we’ll meet in many more finals. I can’t guarantee the outcome, though, because I really don’t want to lose finals—it’s tough, I know! But I always love playing you. You’re an incredible person and player. Thank you so much. Wow, that was a long speech—you can tell how much I admire her!”
The 26-year-old Belarusian then expressed gratitude to her team and others: “Thank you for the rain stopping—it felt like Miami was crying because I won! I’m glad it’s clear now so I can speak. Thank you to the sponsors, and thank you, James, for treating us so well. Thanks to everyone who supported me during this tournament—I love playing here and cherish every moment. Winning this trophy means so much to me.”
She added, “Thank you to my team—you’re not just my team, you’re my family. We’re together 24/7, unfortunately! I love you all so much and appreciate everything you do. I know I’m not always easy, but I try my best. I love you guys. Thank you to my boyfriend—I love you so much. And thank you to everyone for supporting me every day. I love playing in front of you, and to my friends who came to cheer me on—thank you! Sorry, this might be the longest speech I’ve ever given!”
Pegula, understandably frustrated after losing her third final to Sabalenka since mid-August, admitted it’s hard to feel fond of her rival. “First, congrats to Aryna and your team,” the world No. 4 said. “Three finals… 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 everyone to improve, and you’ve had an incredible month of tennis—great job at Indian Wells, too. Congrats on an amazing couple of weeks here.”
She continued, “Thank you to my team in the box, my family, my coach, my hitting partner, my physio, my trainer back home, my husband, and my brother and sister. I have a lot of friends and family here in South Florida, so it’s been wonderful to play in front of you all. I really appreciate your support over the past few weeks. It’s been a long two weeks, but we had a fantastic tournament, and I hope we can keep this momentum going.”
Earlier, Sabalenka told Sky Sports Tennis about her celebration plans, which involve a bottle of tequila. “I’m honestly speechless,” she said after her win. “The last few finals were really tough and close for me. This time, I was so focused on myself, playing point by point. It feels so special—I’m overjoyed with this title. My first in Miami—wow, it’s incredible. I’m definitely going to celebrate with some tequila! We’ll keep it private at home, but who knows, maybe my team will say, ‘Go have some fun!’”
