World number one Aryna Sabalenka claimed her second title of the year after defeating Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 in a compelling Miami Open Women’s Final. In what was a highly competitive match, Sabalenka showcased her powerful game, coming out on top after a tough first set and dominating the second.

The opening set was a rollercoaster of breaks of serve, with both players taking turns to gain control. There were seven breaks in total, with the set swinging both ways. However, it was Sabalenka’s power that helped her recover from tricky situations, and she capitalized when the 4th ranked Pegula faltered on her serve. The defining moment came when Sabalenka secured a game to love on Pegula’s serve, putting her in a strong position as the first set finally went in her favor.

Sabalenka took complete control of the second set, breaking Pegula, at 5-2 and serving out the match to win without dropping a set. She finished the match with a staggering 31 winners, compared to just 12 from her opponent.

Sunday’s victory marked Sabalenka’s first Miami Open title and came after a difficult start to the season, where she had lost her previous two finals. Earlier in the year, she had been defeated by Madison Keys at the Australian Open and Mirra Andreeva at Indian Wells.

“I’m speechless,” Sabalenka said after the match. “The last couple of finals were really tough and tight and close ones for me, so going into this one I was so focused on myself. I was super focused and playing point by point. It feels super special and really happy with the title – the first in Miami.”

The win also extended Sabalenka’s dominance over Pegula, with the Belarusian now holding a 7-2 lead in their career head-to-head record. It was also the third consecutive final in which Sabalenka has triumphed over Pegula, having also beaten her in Cincinnati last year and at the US Open.