March 28 (Reuters) - Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka beat hometown favourite Coco Gauff 6-2 4-6 6-3 in the Miami Open final on Saturday to join an exclusive club by completing the coveted 'Sunshine Double'.
World number one Sabalenka, who reached the final without dropping a set, won 73% of her first-serve points and faced just two break points en route to victory in a rematch of the 2025 French Open final won by Gauff.
Sabalenka is only the fifth woman to win the Indian Wells and Miami titles back-to-back, a feat known as the 'Sunshine Double' given the tournaments' respective locations in California and Florida.
"I want to start with (Coco). You're a fighter and you also push me so hard to be a better player and I like our rivalry," Sabalenka, who improved to 7-6 all-time versus Gauff, said during the trophy ceremony.
Sabalenka raced out to a 2-0 lead but Gauff, from nearby Delray Beach and appearing in her first Miami final, got on the board with a love hold and then repelled three break points in her next service game to get within 3-2.
But Sabalenka did not lose focus and eventually went up a double break on the world number four before closing out a dominant opening on her serve.
There was very little to separate the two players in the middle set which remained on serve until Gauff broke Sabalenka for the only time in the match to force a third set.
Sabalenka broke Gauff to open the decider, held at love in two consecutive service games to go 5-3 up and then sealed the victory with her fourth break of the match when Gauff sent a backhand wide.
Sabalenka is the first player to win back-to-back Miami titles since Ashleigh Barty in 2019 and 2021. The 2020 edition was cancelled due to COVID-19.
The Belarusian joins Iga Swiatek (2022), Victoria Azarenka (2016), Kim Clijsters (2005) and Steffi Graf (1994, 1996) as the only women to complete the 'Sunshine Double'.
Sabalenka also improved to 23-1 on the year, her only loss coming in the Australian Open final at the hands of Elena Rybakina, whom she went on to beat in the Indian Wells final and Miami semi-finals.
"Aryna congratulations. We've had many battles, many finals and, yeah, I think you push me to be a better player," said Gauff. "You're a great fighter and hopefully we can play many more. I think we will."
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; editing by Clare Fallon)
