Aryna Sabalenka was the standout player of the Miami Open women’s singles draw, and it came as no surprise to see her lift the title on Saturday afternoon.
A hard-fought 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 victory over world No 4 Coco Gauff saw Sabalenka defend her title at the WTA 1000 event, becoming the first woman since Ashleigh Barty in 2021 to successfully retain the title in Miami. However, triumph for the world No 1 also saw her complete the ‘Sunshine Double for the very first time, with Sabalenka having lifted the title in Indian Wells just a fortnight before her Miami success.
Completing the ‘Sunshine Double’ — winning Indian Wells and Miami in the same season — is one of the toughest tasks in tennis, and Sabalenka is now part of an exclusive club.
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Who has previously achieved it?
Before 2026, seven different men had achieved the feat, though it has been less common on the WTA Tour.
Since the ‘Sunshine Double’ became possible in 1989, only four separate WTA players had achieved it before Sabalenka.
Like the Belarusian, all four who have done it before are world No 1’s and multiple-time Grand Slam champions.
Steffi Graf (1994 and 1996): All-time great Graf was the first woman to achieve the Sunshine Double and remains the only woman to do it twice, completing the feat in both 1994 and 1996.
Kim Clijsters (2005): After injury struggles in 2004, Clijsters surged back towards the top of the WTA by beating Lindsay Davenport in the Indian Wells final, before victory over Maria Sharapova in Miami.
Victoria Azarenka (2016): One of the leading hard-courters of her generation, former world No 1 Azarenka memorably beat Serena Williams to lift the Indian Wells title in 2016, and backed that up by defeating Svetlana Kuznetsova in Miami.
Iga Swiatek (2022): Current world No 3 Swiatek remains the last player — male or female — to do the double for now, beating Maria Sakkari to triumph in Indian Wells in 2022, before a Miami Open final win against Naomi Osaka.
Can Sinner follow suit?
Sabalenka sealed her ‘Sunshine Double’ on Saturday, and now ATP world No 2 Jannik Sinner will look to complete the feat himself on Sunday.
Much like Sabalenka, Sinner lifted the Indian Wells title for the first time a fortnight ago, beating Daniil Medvedev.
And, the Italian’s rampant form has continued in Miami, with the world No 2 not yet to drop a set across either Masters 1000 final.
Sinner is the heavy favourite to defeat 21st seed Jiri Lehecka in Sunday’s championship match, and should he prevail, he would become the first man since Roger Federer in 2017 to complete the ‘Sunshine Double’ — and the eighth overall.
Should the Italian prevail, it would also be the first time since Novak Djokovic and Azarenka in 2016 that a male and female player have completed the ‘Sunshine Double’ in the same year.
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