Mar 30, 2025 04:06 AM IST
US-TENNIS-MIAMIOPEN:Tennis-Highly effective Sabalenka subdues Pegula to say Miami Open crown
-Prime-ranked Aryna Sabalenka overwhelmed American Jessica Pegula 7-5 6-2 to win the Miami Open on Saturday, counting on her typical play-book and highly effective forehand to win an eighth WTA 1000 title.
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Sabalenka, who was runner-up in Indian Wells earlier this month and at January’s Australian Open, refused to just accept the comfort trophy this time as she closed it out with an outstanding backhand shot down the road and thrust her palms within the air.
Fourth seed Pegula has been hungry for revenge since shedding to Sabalenka in her maiden Grand Slam ultimate in New York final yr however the 31-year-old couldn’t match the Belarusian’s uncooked energy as she misplaced momentum after a promising begin.
“Thank you everyone for supporting me every day – I enjoyed playing in front of you every day,” Sabalenka advised the group, after years of struggling on the match the place she had beforehand by no means superior past the quarter-finals.
The rivals traded breaks thrice within the first set earlier than Sabalenka clinched the vital break with impressed play within the ultimate sport, sending a 90-mile-per-hour winner down the road earlier than forcing Pegula right into a forehand error on set level.
The American was at her finest when she compelled the 26-year-old Belarusian to dash forwards and backwards on the baseline within the opening sport of the second set and broke with a backhand winner.
However Sabalenka shortly subdued Pegula along with her energy, levelling it within the second sport.
Pegula saved three break factors within the fourth however boiled over with frustration, thrusting her racquet to the court docket, after permitting Sabalenka a fourth break level probability that the Belarusian transformed with one other winner.
Sabalenka transformed one more break to clinch the match and was apologetic in her trophy ceremony after a rain-dented Saturday noticed the house hope denied.
“Thank you that the rain stopped – it felt like Miami was crying that I won this tournament,” the Belarusian stated.
Sabalenka by no means dropped a set en path to the rostrum, beating the previous champion Danielle Collins within the spherical of 16 earlier than overcoming the Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen within the quarters and the sixth seed Jasmine Paolini within the semi-final.
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