This Saturday, the Miami Open will witness a high-stakes final as world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka takes on No. 4 Jessica Pegula in the fourth WTA 1000 tournament of the 2025 season.
This is the first Miami Open final featuring two Top 5 players since 2014, when Serena Williams defeated Li Na. The winner will be the first Top 10 player to secure a WTA 1000 title or higher this season.
After recent final defeats at the Australian Open and Indian Wells, Sabalenka is aiming for her first WTA 1000 title of the year. Pegula seeks to avenge her previous losses to Sabalenka in the Cincinnati and US Open finals last year. Here’s a preview of this highly anticipated match.
Match Details
When is the women`s singles final?
The women`s singles final is scheduled for Saturday, March 29, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, starting no earlier than 3 p.m. ET. The doubles final will follow on Sunday, March 30, at 12:30 p.m.
Rankings Points and Prize Money
Both Sabalenka and Pegula have already earned 650 WTA ranking points and $597,890 in prize money by reaching the final.
The champion will be awarded 1,000 points and $1,124,380.
Sabalenka will remain World No. 1 regardless of the outcome, while Pegula could climb to No. 3 if she wins.
Paths to the Final
Sabalenka is only the sixth player this century to reach the finals of both Indian Wells and Miami consecutively, joining a list of tennis stars. Despite losing the Indian Wells final to Mirra Andreeva, Sabalenka has been dominant in Miami, not dropping a set or even facing a tiebreak.
Her path to the final included victories over Viktoriya Tomova (6-3, 6-0), Elena-Gabriela Ruse (6-1, retired), Danielle Collins (6-4, 6-4), Zheng Qinwen (6-2, 7-5), and Jasmine Paolini (6-2, 6-2).
Pegula, in contrast, had a tougher route to the final, playing three matches that went the distance. After an early exit in Indian Wells, she defeated Bernarda Pera (6-4, 6-4), Anna Kalinskaya (6-7(3), 6-2, 7-6(2)), Marta Kostyuk (6-2, 6-3), Emma Raducanu (6-4, 6-7(3), 6-2), and Alexandra Eala (7-6(3), 5-7, 6-3).
Sabalenka has spent significantly less time on court in Miami, totaling 5 hours and 43 minutes compared to Pegula`s 9 hours and 44 minutes.
Head-to-Head Record
Sabalenka vs. Pegula Head-to-Head
Sabalenka holds a 6-2 advantage in their head-to-head record, with a 4-2 lead on hard courts and 2-0 in finals.
Their rivalry began at the 2020 Western & Southern Open, where Pegula secured an early win. However, Sabalenka dominated their subsequent clay court matches. More recently, Sabalenka won both hard-court finals they contested in 2024, at Cincinnati and the US Open.
Milestones at Stake
Sabalenka is competing in her fourth final this season, aiming for her second title of the year and 19th overall. Her current season record is an impressive 22-4.
Pegula is playing in her third final of 2025, seeking her second title of the year and eighth overall. Her season record stands at 20-5.
Pegula is aiming for her fifth victory over a reigning World No. 1 and could become the oldest player to achieve this in a final since 1993 if she defeats Sabalenka.
Sabalenka could achieve her second tournament with three Top 10 wins, matching her 2022 WTA Finals performance.
Player Perspectives
What are they saying?
Pegula: “I think she`s just a little bit better than me, results-wise… It`s going to be tough. Hopefully I can get the better of her here. Making another final of a 1000 is huge.”
Sabalenka: “We had a lot of tough matches against each other. It`s always great battles… [The US Open] final was just like crazy match again. Yeah, she fought really hard in that second set, and that was tough match.”
Pegula: “I do feel like I`m serving a little bit better. Hopefully I can serve well Saturday… I think that`s something you have to do against her. She returns really well… I had chances at the US Open, up 5-3 in that second set. Who knows what would have happened there.”
Sabalenka: “I think maybe… it`s all about mental part of the game. Maybe mentally in some of the moments I`m a bit tougher than her. But also, you have to bring that mental toughness every time.”
