Aryna Sabalenka Secures Sunshine Double And Top World Ranking Following Miami Open Victory Against Coco Gauff

Aryna Sabalenka secures the Miami Open title and $1.15M in prize money, joining an elite group to complete the Sunshine Double after defeating Coco Gauff.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 29, 2026, 7:24 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Tennis365

A Masterful Display Of Mental Resilience In The Miami Final

Aryna Sabalenka has cemented her status as the premier force in women’s professional tennis by overcoming a significant challenge from Coco Gauff to win the Miami Open. Following a disappointing loss in the Australian Open final earlier this year, Sabalenka demonstrated remarkable psychological growth by navigating a tense 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 victory. The win marks her second consecutive WTA 1000 title this month, proving that she has successfully addressed the consistency issues that previously hindered her performance in high stakes championship matches.

Historical Significance Of The Rare Sunshine Double Achievement

By winning in both Indian Wells and Miami within the same calendar year, Sabalenka enters an elite circle of tennis legends who have achieved the "Sunshine Double." She joins Steffi Graf, Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka, and Iga Swiatek as the only female players to accomplish this feat. According to tournament historians, this achievement is widely regarded as one of the most difficult in the sport due to the differing court conditions and the physical toll of sustained competition across two grueling weeks in the United States.

Financial Windfalls And WTA Ranking Point Accumulation

The championship win provides Sabalenka with a substantial financial reward of $1,151,380, bringing her career on court earnings to nearly $49 million. In addition to the monetary prize, she secured 1,000 WTA ranking points, further distancing herself from her closest rivals. While Sabalenka tightens her grip on the No 1 spot, Coco Gauff is also set for a significant move, as her runner up finish will elevate her back to the world No 3 position when the new rankings are officially released on Monday.