Aryna Sabalenka Defeats Jessica Pegula to Take Miami Crown
Locker Room
March 30, 2025
Aryna Sabalenka vowed to celebrate with a tequila after winning the Miami Open for the first time.
A thumping backhand pass down the line was enough to clinch it in the end. Aryna threw her racquet away in triumph – and raised her hands to the Florida skies.
She had defeated Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2, partly because the talented American took her eye off the ball at the vital moment.
Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula will both be strong contenders for Wimbledon 2025 this summer.
But in Miami, Pegula’s poise deserted her when it mattered most. She had battled back to 5-5, just as the first set seemed lost.
Unfortunately Jessica couldn’t hold to take the opener into a breaker and give herself a fighting chance.
Sadly the number four seed seemed to lose heart in the second set, as she realised she had no answer to the momentum created by the very best in the world.
It wasn’t mission impossible. Jessica has managed to beat Sabalenka a couple of times in the past.
But Aryna has held sway in all their recent clashes – including the last US Open final. This contest proved no different.
Having lost the Australian Open and Indian Wells finals, Sabalenka was not about to let another trophy slip through her fingers.
She admitted: ‘The last couple of finals were really tough. For this one I was super-focused, playing point by point.
‘I’m super happy with my first Miami title. I’m definitely having a tequila to celebrate.’
Aryna Sabalenka will set her sights on a first Wimbledon 2025 title in a few months. Can she do it?
The signs look good for the previous semi-finalist. It’s not just her power that is finding increasing accuracy. Sabalenka is adding variety to her game too.
She confirmed: ‘We are working on the variety and that includes generating height in the bounce.’
Beyond that extra hand-full for her opponent, Sabalenka is also adding drop-shot finesse and increased mobility from the back of the court to the front.