A Single Win From the Double: Sabalenka Downs Rybakina to Set Miami Final with Gauff

Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina’s 17th head-to-head meeting was unlike the others in a very specific way. With Rybakina rising to No. 2 in the world for the first time last Monday, the pair met as the tour’s Top 2 players for the first time.

Even more unusual, they met in a semifinal on Thursday night in Miami—marking the first time the World No. 1 and World No. 2 players have faced each other before a final at a WTA Tour event (excluding the WTA Finals and Grand Slams) since 1987.

A product of a statistical anomaly, as Rybakina’s rise to No. 2 came after the seeds were set a few days earlier.

None of that seemed to matter as the WTA Tour’s premier rivalry took center stage inside Hard Rock Stadium with a spot in the final on the line. Sabalenka and Rybakina were meeting for the third time in three months, having split their previous two encounters—Rybakina winning the Australian Open final, and Sabalenka exacting revenge 11 days ago at Indian Wells, where she saved a championship point in a deciding-set tiebreak.

This time the contest was more straightforward. Sabalenka prevailed 6-4, 6-3 to earn her second career straight-sets win over Rybakina. Sabalenka has now reach the final of her first four WTA events of the season, making her the fourth player since 2000 to achieve that feat, along with Martina Hingis (2001), Serena Williams (2003) and Victoria Azarenka (2012).

“I’m super happy to be through,” she said. “I really enjoy our rivalry, she’s an incredible player.

“I think I did everything right, she played great but I think I pushed her so much.”

The opening set was tight early, with the pair trading breaks in the fourth and fifth games. A run of dominant holds followed before Rybakina was forced to serve to stay in the set. After holding comfortably in her previous service games, the World No. 2 faltered, winning just one point as Sabalenka surged through the final four to break.

The defending champion sealed the set with a forehand drive volley into the open court, 6-4 in 37 minutes.

In the second set, the four-time major champion stayed on course, converting her fourth break point of the second game to lead 2-0. She consolidated for 3-0 and quickly extended the advantage to 4-0.

Rybakina attempted a late push, closing to 4-2 and saving a match point at 2-5, but Sabalenka refuled to yield and eventually closed out the victory to become the first woman to win 11 consecutive matches without dropping a set in Miami since Serena Williams in 2003.

A Single from the Double

Sabalenka will face Coco Gauff for the title on Saturday as she bids to become the fifth woman in history to complete the Sunshine Double. Only Steffi Graf, Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka and Iga Swiatek have achieved the feat.

Earlier on Thursday, Gauff raced past Karolina Muchova 6-1, 6-1 to reach her maiden Miami final.

Sabalenka and Gauff have split their 12 previous meetings with Sabalenka winning two of three in 2025. It was Gauff who claimed their biggest clash of the season, however, as the American triumphed in last year’s Roland-Garros final in three dramatic sets. Gauff has also won two of their three previous finals.