Aryna Sabalenka explains what Jessica Pegula was doing during the first set of their Miami Open final that was ‘almost impossible’ to deal with
🏆 Aryna Sabalenka Triumphs in Miami – What Made Jessica Pegula So Tough to Beat?
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka continued her dominant run in 2025, clinching the Miami Open title with a commanding 7-5, 6-2 victory over Jessica Pegula. The Belarusian claimed her eighth WTA 1000 title without dropping a single set, solidifying her status as the tour’s top player.
🔥 Sabalenka’s Road to the Title
✅ Defeated: Danielle Collins, Qinwen Zheng, Jasmine Paolini
🏆 Final Victory Over: Jessica Pegula
Despite the straight-sets win, Sabalenka revealed that Pegula’s deep and flat shots in the opening set were “almost impossible” to counter.
🎙️ Sabalenka on the Challenge Pegula Posed:
“She played super quick, super deep, super flat—it was almost impossible to go for those shots. In the second set, I adjusted my game, brought in more variety, and I’m happy it worked!”
A Back-and-Forth Battle
Although Sabalenka broke Pegula’s serve seven times, she admitted the conditions were tough:
💬 “She was breaking my serve quite often—it was back and forth. But I stayed in the fight, broke back, and stayed focused on each point.”
With this win, Sabalenka now holds a 7-3 head-to-head lead over Pegula, marking her third straight final victory against the American.
Sabalenka’s Recent Final Wins Over Pegula
| Year | Event | Winner | Loser | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Miami Open (F) | Aryna Sabalenka | Jessica Pegula | 7-5, 6-2 |
| 2024 | US Open (F) | Aryna Sabalenka | Jessica Pegula | 7-5, 7-5 |
| 2024 | Cincinnati (F) | Aryna Sabalenka | Jessica Pegula | 6-3, 7-5 |
Sabalenka Extends No. 1 Lead Over Swiatek
With her Miami Open victory, Sabalenka has increased her lead over No. 2 Iga Swiatek in the WTA rankings by more than 3,000 points.
📊 Updated WTA Top 10 Rankings
| Rank | Player | Age | Points | Miami Open Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1️⃣ | Aryna Sabalenka | 26 | 10,541 | 🏆 Won |
| 2️⃣ | Iga Swiatek | 23 | 7,470 | ❌ Lost in QF |
| 3️⃣ | Coco Gauff | 21 | 6,063 | ❌ Lost in 4R |
| 4️⃣ | Jessica Pegula | 31 | 5,796 | ❌ Lost in F |
| 5️⃣ | Madison Keys | 30 | 4,949 | ❌ Lost in 3R |
📉 Swiatek faces an uphill battle on clay, needing to defend 4,195 points from her dominant 2024 season, while Sabalenka only has 1,838 points to defend.
🎾 What’s Next? Stuttgart Open Awaits!
Both Sabalenka and Swiatek will head to Germany for the Stuttgart Open, starting April 14. Will Sabalenka maintain her momentum, or can Swiatek close the gap?
