Sabalenka Keeps Sunshine Double In Her Sights, Defeating Zheng in Miami

“t’s definitely super tough,” Sabalenka said after her win over Zheng Qinwen on Mondah. “Grand Slam is two weeks. These tournaments are, what, four weeks, almost four weeks. Playing a great tennis for four weeks in different conditions, that’s really tricky and tough. Not easy at all.”

Sabalenka loves to set lofty goals, but the World No. 1 says she’s doing her best to take it one step at a time. She will face rising American Hailey Baptiste in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Baptiste reached her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal with a rousing 6-3, 6-4 win over Jelena Ostapenko on Monday.

“I mean, I kind of like chasing, but I’m trying to take it one step at the time and not really looking that far,” Sabalenka said. “I think that’s the best approach. But it’s definitely not easy at all.”

Sabalenka is now 20-1 on the year and she’ll carry a nine-match winning streak into her next match.

Four women have previously won the Sunshine Double before, and the last to do it was Iga Swiatek in 2022.

In other action on Monday, Coco Gauff got past Sorana Cirstea in three sets, reaching her first career quarterfinal in Miami.

“I think in the previous times I’ve played here, I’ve had some tough matches,” Gauff said. “Maybe mentally wasn’t in there. Today I just wanted to stay mentally in there.”

Victoria Mboko defeated fellow teen and sometimes doubles partner Mirra Andreeva for the second consecutive time, 7-6(4) 4-6 6-0, setting a clash with Karolina Muchova, who got past Alexandra Eala, 6-0, 6-2.

Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina also set a quarterfinal clash, with Rybakina easing past Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian 6-4, 6-1 and Rybakina taking out talented Aussie qualifier Talia Gibson 6-2, 6-2.