A local favorite was going to win the Miami Open no matter the result between Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula inside Hard Rock Stadium on Satuday, and after 89 comprehensive minutes, it was the world No. 1 who lifted the much sought-after WTA 1000 crown.
With a 7-5, 6-2 win over No. 4 seed Pegula, Miami resident Sabalenka captured her eighth career WTA 1000 title, and became the 12th top-ranked player to win the tournament all-time. She has now beaten Pegula in three straight finals, topping the American to win both Cincinnati and the US Open last summer, and run her record against the U.S. No. 2 to 7-2.
Though Pegula won three straight games in the first set to turn an early break deficit around, she played catch-up for the rest of the afternoon. She broke Sabalenka when the world No. 1 served for the set at 5-3, but was hardly level again after 5-5. She broke Sabalenka to start the second set, but four straight games for the top seed from there gave Sabalenka a lead she never relinquished.
