World No. 5 Pegula faced a tough road to the final, battling through four consecutive three-set matches against Yulia Putintseva, Elisabetta Cocciaretto, Diana Shnaider, and Iva Jovic, before saving seven of eight break points against unseeded Starodubtseva to claim an emphatic victory in the title match.

Charleston debutante Starodubtseva, meanwhile, cruised into her maiden final but struggled against the American, committing 41 unforced errors. Nevertheless, the Ukrainian’s impressive run at the WTA 500 tournament in South Carolina will propel her past her previous career-high of No. 63, reaching a new career-best ranking of No. 53.

Pegula has now notched 24 match wins in 2026, surpassing Aryna Sabalenka for the most victories on tour this year.

The Adidas Paris Wow Pro Dress perfectly embodies the aesthetic of this collection. It features a racerback cut with a rib-knit V-neck collar accented by sporty stripes, while the pleated skirt boasts a curved hemline that extends slightly at the back. A matching shortie is included for added coverage. As always, CLIMACOOL technology enhances the recycled polyester fabric, keeping the dress lightweight and comfortable in the heat. The official color is called legend ink.

 

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2023 French Open finalist Karolina Muchova is featured in Adidas’ official campaign imagery, styling the dress with Adidas Barricade 14 shoes in white with crystal sky accents, perfectly complementing the outfit.

Players who prefer separates can opt for a combination of a cropped white tank and a flouncy navy skirt or 2-in-1 short. The Adidas Paris Crop Tank has a racerback design, while its ribbed V-neckline and collar are accented with stripes, echoing the look of the dress. The Adidas Paris Match Pro Skirt is soft and lightweight, with a subtle striped sheen in the fabric, and is finished with an exposed elastic waistband, a curved hemline, and a built-in shortie.

The Adidas Paris Match Pro Short features a loose, lightweight woven outer layer paired with a compression short underneath for added coverage and convenient ball storage.

With its refined navy-and-white palette, classic silhouettes, and performance-driven details, the lineup will nicely complement the orange clay. If you’re looking to refresh your tennis wardrobe with timeless pieces, explore the full Paris collection now at Tennis Warehouse.

 

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Speaking on Tara Keeney’s podcast two weeks after proposing to Sabalenka ahead of the BNP Paribas Open, Frangulis gave insight into his feelings. The podcast is dedicated to changing the way the world sees founders. Through her signature walking interviews, Tara takes the world’s most influential entrepreneurs off the stage and onto the street, showing the real person behind the company. As the founder of the largest açai chain, Oakberry, Frangulis spoke with Tara and when asked how he felt about his engagement, he responded:

“I feel super accomplished, I would say. Engaged to the love of my life.”

He also revealed in the interview that he cried when he proposed.

The engagement ring, custom-made for the Belarusian, was designed by US-based jeweller Isabela Grutman and Frangulis over several months. He spared no expense on the massive 12-carat oval-cut diamond. The proposal itself took place poolside, surrounded by dozens of candles and floral arrangements. Estimates value the ring between $500,000 and $1 million.

In the past, WTA players were sometimes known to lose focus on the court when they fell in love. However, Sabalenka has only thrived since being with Frangulis. They have been together for about two years, during most of which she has been ranked No. 1. Since making their relationship public in April 2024, Sabalenka has won two of her four Grand Slam titles and finished runner-up at majors three times.

Following her engagement, the tennis ace from Minsk won the Indian Wells and the Miami Open titles, completing the Sunshine Double and becoming only the fifth player in WTA history to achieve the feat.

❤️💍 @khloem__1 pic.twitter.com/cVhQZeAVYl

— Tara Moore (@TaraMoore92) April 1, 2026

Before her current marriage, Moore was previously married to American tennis player Emina Bektas, who is currently ranked 426th in the world. She was also engaged to fellow doubles player Conny Perrin, with whom she often partnered in tournaments. Reflecting on life as an openly gay athlete, Moore expressed that her fellow players were always overwhelmingly supportive.

 

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Best known for her success in women’s doubles, Moore achieved a career-high ranking of No. 77 in doubles and No. 145 in singles. One of her career highlights was reaching the third round of mixed doubles at Wimbledon 2021.

 

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Off the court, Moore has faced a challenging legal battle over a four-year doping ban issued by the International Tennis Integrity Agency. While she tested positive for prohibited substances, an independent commission determined she bore no responsibility, finding that the elevated levels were caused by contaminated meat she consumed at a tennis tournament in Colombia. Nevertheless, the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld her suspension, keeping her out of competition until December 2027.

In July 2025, Moore issued a statement expressing the emotional toll of the ordeal. “To be innocent and to have to prove that is an incredibly gruelling process,” she wrote. “You are presumed guilty and have to fight for your life against someone that has more money and resources than you.”

Ten days after ending her cooperation with Fissette, which had begun in October 2024, and following a shock loss to compatriot Magda Linette at the Miami Open, Swiatek posted a photo with Roig on her Instagram Stories, writing: “Welcome to the team, Francisco! Very excited for this new chapter.”

Fissette, who took over from Tomasz Wiktorowski, helped Swiatek become a player who has won a Grand Slam on every surface, capped by her 2025 Wimbledon title. Now, Roig brings the benefit of his extensive experience working with 22-time Grand Slam champion Nadal in various capacities for 17 years.

Swiatek’s next stop is the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, a tournament she has won twice, in 2022 and 2023.

Having spent time on the ITF and WTA 125 circuits earlier this year to regain form, the former world No. 4, now ranked No. 140, ended a five-match tour-level losing streak with a 1-6 6-4 6-1 triumph in South Carolina. It was a gritty performance, as Galfi saved the first 11 break points she faced.

Andreescu’s last victory at this level came eight months ago against Barbora Krejcikova at her home tournament in Montreal. She subsequently sustained an ankle injury that sidelined her for two months, adding to a series of setbacks in a career frequently interrupted by injuries. Upon returning to competition, she faced tour-level defeats against Anna Bondar in Beijing, Viktorija Golubic in Osaka, Victoria Mboko in Tokyo, Galfi in Austin, and Kamilla Rakhimova in Indian Wells.

Determined to reverse her struggles, Andreescu overcame her ego and focused on rebuilding her form by competing at lower-tier events, a strategy that has proven successful. She captured two titles on the Floridian ITF World Tennis Tour in January 2026, and reached the final of the Austin WTA 125 last month.

She now awaits a second-round clash with fellow former Grand Slam champion Sofia Kenin at the Credit One Charleston Open. (source: WTA)

 

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The announcement came with a playful photo on a tennis court, showing Sabalenka smiling widely, one eye covered by a glass of beer. Captioning the post, she wrote: “I swear this was the best shot. I guess I’ll have to get used to it 😂 Happy to be the newest ambassador of Stella Artois!”

The brand joined the celebration in the comments, saying: “A champion deserves a proper toast. Welcome, Aryna.”

Two months before officially announcing the partnership, Sabalenka appeared in a Stella Artois ad in Brazil, which is available on YouTube.

Sabalenka joins a growing list of WTA stars who have partnered with Stella Artois, including Maria Sharapova, Jessica Pegula, and Donna Vekic.

 

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Defending champion and world No. 5 Jessica Pegula headlines the field at the largest women’s clay-court tournament in North America. The top seed arrived alongside her husband, Taylor Gahagen, wearing wide-leg jeans paired with a bold white lace-up top and light blue cardigan.

2022 champion Belinda Bencic made a stylish appearance alongside her adorable daughter Bella and partner Martin Hromkovic. The Swiss star elevated her dark-wash jeans with an elegant beige suit, pairing it with heels, a Chanel bag, sleek hair, and chunky earrings for a polished finish.

Paula Badosa opted for a business-casual look, wearing a black suit with tailored pants, a simple white fitted top, and white sneakers. During her Media Day interview on Monday, the Spaniard revealed that her 2025 struggles were caused by a torn labrum in her right hip, an injury that developed after ongoing issues with her psoas muscle and has left her managing daily pain.

The 28-year-old has opted to avoid surgery for now, instead returning to injections to manage the pain. She showed flashes of her old form with a semifinal run at a WTA 125 event in Austin earlier this month, but admitted that each day still brings a new level of uncertainty.

Iva Jovic stepped out in a striking short red dress paired with a black leather jacket and beige pointed-toe flats. The young American competed in just two clay-court events on the WTA Tour in 2025, and ahead of her Charleston debut, she’s ready to showcase the variety and unpredictability of her game on a surface that remains her most unfamiliar.

Diana Schnaider opted for ankle-length dark-wash jeans paired with a white sleeveless button-up top and a standout bag that seemed inspired by a classic tennis pleated skirt.

Donna Vekic radiated youthful energy in a black mini skirt and crop-top ensemble, layered with a black denim jacket featuring studded accents, and completed the look with baby-pink mesh flats.

Eva Lys went for an elegant all-black ensemble, pairing tailored long pants with a sleek black suit that subtly revealed cleavage, finished with classic black stilettos.

The Credit One Charleston Open has been named WTA 500 Tournament of the Year for four consecutive years. This year’s event runs through Sunday, April 5.

A few hours after the news broke in the media, Kvitova shared the update on Instagram, revealing that her twin girls have been named Emma and Ella.

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The two-time Wimbledon champion first announced her pregnancy in October 2025, though she did not reveal she was expecting twins. Just two weeks ago, she shared two family photos featuring her husband Jiri Vanek and their young son Petr, offering a glimpse of her baby bump.

 

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Kvitova, 36, embraced motherhood for the first time in July 2024 with the birth of her son. She returned to the WTA Tour in February 2025 at the ATX Open in Austin, Texas, but her comeback proved short-lived. Six months later, she played her final match in New York, falling to France’s Diane Parry in just 53 minutes and closing her return with a 1–8 record.

Speaking about her decision to step away from the sport, Kvitova admitted that her motivation had shifted. While her love for tennis remained, she no longer felt the same mental and emotional drive to compete. The daily demands of the tour—waiting for practices, traveling, and match preparation—had become increasingly draining. With her priorities evolving after becoming a mother, she ultimately chose to focus on family life.

Kvitova married her longtime coach Jiri Vanek in July 2023, a year after their engagement at Wimbledon. The couple held an intimate ceremony at the exclusive Oblik resort, a serene countryside venue near Prague. Vanek also has two sons from a previous marriage.

The decision comes as the WTA’s three-year partnership with the Saudi Tennis Federation (STF) reaches its conclusion and will not be renewed. While WTA chief executive Portia Archer signaled openness last year to extending the organization’s stay in Riyadh, plans have since shifted.

Breaking news on Bounces:

The WTA Finals are leaving Saudi Arabia, ending this year and closing a controversial chapter.

Read Bounces to learn which North American city has emerged as a leading contender to host the showcase event next.

Read here:https://t.co/qQHcfFrU6F

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) March 30, 2026

According to Bounces, the WTA Finals will conclude their run in the Saudi capital following the November 7–14, 2026 edition, bringing an end to what had been an ambitious expansion into the Middle Eastern country.

When Riyadh was announced as host in 2024, the STF positioned the tournament as a cornerstone of its broader vision to grow tennis in the country. The federation set a goal of inspiring one million people to take up the sport by 2030, with the WTA Finals serving as a flagship event to drive participation and visibility.

The partnership also aligned with Saudi Arabia’s wider Vision 2030 strategy, which aims to diversify the economy and invest heavily in sports and entertainment as a means of engaging the country’s young population.

With the end of the Riyadh chapter now confirmed, attention turns to where the WTA Finals will head next, likely somewhere in North America.

Now 32, Garcia stepped away from professional tennis following a first-round loss at the 2025 US Open. At the time, she reflected on her journey, saying: “After 15 years competing at the highest level, and more than 25 years putting pretty much every second of my life into it, I feel ready to start a new chapter.” That next chapter is now well underway, as she prepares to welcome her first child.

 

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The photo carousel, captured at the Fairmont Mayakoba in Riviera Maya, Mexico, also offers a glimpse of Garcia’s growing baby bump. Dressed in a flowy dress, she appears to be somewhere around the midpoint of her pregnancy. The blue heart emoji accompanying her “the family is growing” caption hints that she could be expecting a boy.

Garcia married her long-time partner Duran in July 2025, and the couple now have even more reason to celebrate as they look ahead to becoming parents.

Sabalenka set the tone early, breaking confidently in the opening game before consolidating for a 2-0 lead. Later in the first set, the top seed secured another break with ruthless efficiency and closed it out comfortably, appearing untouchable as she moved closer to defending her Miami title.

Just when it looked like the Miami final would be over quickly and Gauff was getting blown off the court, the Floridian fought back into the match, taking every point on Sabalenka’s serve at 4-5 30-0 in the second set to force a third. Sabalenka raced out to a 2-0 lead in the decider and never looked back, adding another late break to seal the victory.

Coming into the final, the Sabalenka–Gauff rivalry was deadlocked at 6-6, often producing tight contests, just as it played out today in Miami. With the win, the Belarusian now leads 7-6 in their head-to-head. Sabalenka is currently riding a 12-match winning streak and tops the WTA charts with 23 victories so far this season.

Fresh off her Indian Wells triumph, Sabalenka powered through Miami, defeating Ann Li, Caty McNally, Zheng Qinwen, Hailey Baptiste, Elena Rybakina, and finally Gauff, who prevented her from becoming the first player since the WTA 1000 format’s introduction in 2009 to win back-to-back titles at a single event without dropping a set.

With the victory, Sabalenka becomes just the fifth woman to complete the Sunshine Double in the same year, joining Steffi Graf (1994, 1996), Kim Clijsters (2005), Victoria Azarenka (2016), and Iga Swiatek (2022). She is also only the second world No. 1 to achieve the feat, after Graf.

Gauff was in control against Muchova, conceding just two games in a 6-1 6-1 victory that lasted an hour and a half, although the match was more difficult that the scoreline suggests. The 22-year-old from Florida was broken in her opening service game, but quickly regrouped and went on a remarkable streak, capturing 10 consecutive games to take full command against the 13th-seeded Czech.

In the championship match on Saturday, Gauff will take on Sabalenka, the reigning titleholder, who secured her spot by defeating Elena Rybakina in straight sets.

Earlier this month, Sabalenka had turned the tables on Rybakina by beating her in the Indian Wells final, after previously falling to the Kazakhstani player in the Australian Open final. In Miami, she once again came out on top, winning 6-4 6-3.

Thanks to her run to the final, Gauff is set to climb to world No. 3, overtaking former top-ranked player Iga Swiatek. This marks her first appearance in the final of the WTA 1000 event in Miami.

Murawska’s journey to the top of the tennis world wasn’t a straight line. With a background that jumps from clinical settings to touring with world-famous musicians, she brings a “problem-solving” energy to Sabalenka’s camp. “I’ve worked in a mixture of sports team environments, clinical work, and then touring with artists, singers, and musicians,” she says.

While some might find the repetitive demands of a singles sport dull, Helen thrives on the granular detail required to keep a world-class athlete at the top: “It tends to be higher-level and higher-end performance, so you’re really looking for the one-percent differences a lot of the time. It’s a lot of problem solving, which I love.”

Supporting a global star like Sabalenka isn’t a 9-to-5 job; it’s a lifestyle dictated by flight paths and media cycles. “Sometimes we’ve done treatment at 3AM after landing somewhere, and that’s the only time we can do it,” Helen reveals. “We can’t neglect it, because it’s important. At this level, she can’t really neglect anything. We have to consider lifestyle-wise factors and day-to-day routine. We have to just do what we can. Sometimes it’s a bit on the fly, given the environment we’re in.”

Getting those small gains is a group effort for Team Sabalenka, and Helen’s role is tightly intertwined with what Anton Dubrov and Max Mirnyi are doing on the court: “I need to know what Anton wants her to do on the court, and what Max wants her to do when she’s going to serve, so I can know: does that affect what I need to prepare her for, even if it’s just looking at a couple of small muscle groups that seem like they’re too tight or not active enough, and really fine-tuning her mechanics and her movement before she’s going to play, and then making sure that we’re not over-treating. I’m not overstretching. I’m not overactivating something.”

The world number one uses her Whoop band to track everything from sleep quality to recovery zones, and the team has access to the data, allowing for further adjustments along the way. The data also provides insights into what Helen told Women’s Tennis Blog might have surprised her most when she first joined the team: “The fact that she’s a really good sleeper. She’s the busiest person I know with everything that she gets asked to do and she’s always going deep in tournaments. You could imagine that she has trouble switching off at night or even calming down and being able to just drift into sleep.” The athletic trainer joked, “Maybe she has a button somewhere I don’t know. It’s rare for her to have a bad night sleep.”

The results speak for themselves. Sabalenka captured her first BNP Paribas Open title in a grueling three-set battle against Elena Rybakina. Reflecting on the match, she told reporters, “It was super hot. I was dying there in the tiebreak, but I also saw that she was also not feeling her best. So I was trying to push myself basically to the limit.” It was those small advantages earned off the court that made the difference, allowing her to push that limit just a little further.

Sabalenka is now through to the semifinals of the Miami Open, where she will face Rybakina once again.

“After many months of working together with my coach Wim Fissette, I’ve decided to take a different path,” Swiatek wrote on Instagram. “It was an intense time full of challenges and many important experiences. I’m grateful for his support, experience, and everything we achieved together — including one of my biggest dreams in sport.”

Fissette has coached six other Grand Slam champions — Kim Clijsters, Simona Halep, Victoria Azarenka, Petra Kvitova, Angelique Kerber, and Naomi Osaka — but Swiatek stands as his most decorated player. Under his guidance, the Pole captured the 2025 Wimbledon title, completing her dream of winning a Grand Slam singles title on all three surfaces.

However, the 2026 season has proven challenging, with the breaking point coming in Swiatek’s loss to Magda Linette in the second round of the Miami Open after a first-round bye. That defeat ended the former world No. 1’s 73-match winning streak in openers.

“I feel disappointment, bitterness and responsibility for my performance on the court of course,” Swiatek wrote about her Miami result before addressing the end of her cooperation with Fissette. “I’ve also learned a lot of important lessons and I think that’s very human.”

The word is out that Piotr Wozniacki, father of former world No. 1 and 2018 Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki, is set to become Swiatek’s new coach. However, the current world No. 3 has not confirmed this. She says the rest of her team remains unchanged for now and promises to share what’s next at the right time.

Not long ago, Collins went viral for her demanding dating app profile, in which she described herself as a professional tennis player aspiring to be a “trad wife,” and ended with the line: “This is a no short kings zone.” Her requirements sparked plenty of debate and, according to Collins, even caught the attention of fellow player Corentin Moutet.

The 32-year-old Collins shared on Tennis Channel: “He unfollowed me after my viral dating profile when I said I wasn’t interested in the short kings. C’mon people, you have to understand that I’m 5’10”, and for me, it’s fair. It’s just like a preference, nothing against the short kings. But he was upset about that and he messaged me and then unfollowed me.”

In an engaging exchange, after Moutet defeated Tomas Machac at the Miami Open, Collins revealed: “Now he slid back into the DMs last night, asking me if I saw his match and all the big serves that he was hitting.” The American then commented on the possibility of a love match with the 26-year-old: “I don’t think he has a chance, yet! He would have to bring a lot to the table, so I don’t think it’s gonna happen, but who knows, we’ll see.”

Shocked by what he heard, Moutet was quick to deny Collins’ claims:

“How can I unfollow you when I never followed you? Tennis Channel, how can you let someone say BS like this on TV? You followed me. You asked me for mixed dubs. And I’ve never even followed you. You ready to say anything so people talk about you. You should learn how to love yourself, so you won’t have to do stupid things for people loves.”

Swiatek teamed up with Fissette in October 2024 after parting ways with Tomasz Wiktorowski. Over an 18-year coaching career, Fissette has guided seven different Grand Slam champions—Kim Clijsters, Simona Halep, Victoria Azarenka, Petra Kvitova, Angelique Kerber, Naomi Osaka, and Swiatek herself, who has claimed more Grand Slam singles titles (six) than any player he has ever coached.

On clay, Swiatek has been nearly unbeatable, winning four titles at Roland Garros in just five years, flourishing on the high-bouncing, slower surface. Grass, with its low and skidding balls, posed more challenges. Yet last year, Fissette masterminded one of the most remarkable coaching achievements in recent memory, guiding Swiatek to a stunning Wimbledon title that many thought was beyond her reach. At just 24, she is the only active woman to have won a Grand Slam singles title on all three surfaces.

The 2026 season, however, has been more turbulent. The Pole recently slipped to No. 3 in the WTA rankings and suffered a second-round loss in Miami after a first-round bye, which was her first loss of her opening match in 74 tournaments. In the wake of these setbacks, speculation is mounting that her partnership with Fissette may be ending.

Sportskeeda suggests she is considering Piotr Wozniacki, who coached Caroline Wozniacki to the top of the WTA rankings and the 2018 Australian Open title. While Caroline represented Denmark on the tour, both of her parents are Polish, so Piotr and Iga share cultural roots in addition to their tennis connection.

This isn’t the first time rumors have linked Swiatek and Fissette with a potential split. For now, neither of them has confirmed the reports.

The highest-ranked Arab and African player in history, Jabeur once dreamed of winning a Grand Slam before becoming a mother. That milestone narrowly escaped her in three major finals, but she has since made peace with it and is now joyfully awaiting the arrival of her baby boy.

 

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Wearing dresses by Tom Ford, Brunello Cucinelli, Limé, Louis Vuitton, Marella, and Antonio Riva Milano, the 31-year-old looked graceful and radiant with her baby bump. Speaking with Vogue Arabia, Jabeur addressed the often-overlooked and misunderstood reality of exhaustion that most pregnant women experience:

“Sometimes I’m like, ‘Why am I tired?’ And then I remember – I’m growing a kidney,” the former world No. 2 laughed.

The baby comes after a decade of marriage to fitness trainer Karim Kamoun. While the husband has been incredibly supportive and ready for this new chapter, he’s still getting to grips with what life with a newborn entails. “He was amazed when he heard you feed the baby every two hours,” Jabeur said with a smile.

The last tournament Jabeur played was Wimbledon 2025, a venue where she twice finished runner-up. That July, she announced a break from tennis, explaining that after two years of pushing through injuries and challenges, she no longer felt truly happy on court.

Speaking to Vogue, the Tunisian star said she is eager to rediscover her form but is reluctant to set a firm timeline for her return. “I want to give myself the time to see how my body will react. I don’t want to rush into it,” she explained. “But I definitely would want to go back on tour and compete for a couple of more years.”

For the first time since the 2021 WTA Finals, where she fell to Maria Sakkari, Swiatek exited a tournament in her opening match, ending an extraordinary run of 73 consecutive first-match victories. World No. 50 Magda Linette mounted an impressive comeback to defeat the former champion and second seed 1-6 7-5 6-3 in the second round of the Miami Open.

Linette’s resilience was on full display, as it marked her second consecutive three-set comeback win, having also rallied from a set down in her first-round match against Varvara Gracheva. The underdog overcame a staggering 30 unforced errors to secure the upset, becoming just the second player to defeat Swiatek at a WTA 1000 event after dropping the opening set.

The reigning Wimbledon champion has now failed to progress beyond the quarterfinals in all four tournaments she has contested in 2026. “I stopped doing anything well tactically,” Swiatek admitted after the loss to her compatriot.

Also on Thursday, Venus Williams saw her struggles continue, falling 7-5 7-5 to Britain’s Fran Jones in the first round of the Miami Open. The defeat marked her ninth in a row, dating back to her opening-round victory in Washington last summer. World No. 93 Jones said the win meant everything to her, as she defeated her childhood hero. The victory also marked the 25-year-old’s first career WTA 1000 win.

Jones was born with Ectrodactyly Ectodermal Dysplasia (EEC), a rare condition that left her with three fingers and a thumb on each hand, three toes on her right foot, and four on her left. Doctors advised her to give up on pursuing tennis professionally, but Jones has said that players like Venus and her sister Serena inspired her to keep chasing that dream.

Just how much the victory meant to Jones is reflected in her daily ritual growing up, as she would say goodnight to the Williams sisters on the wall of her childhood home each night. She explained that being told she could never play tennis made her doubt herself, but the Williams sisters inspired her to keep trying. She added that her dad took her to Centre Court to watch them play when she was just five.

In the third set tiebreak, Rybakina, the new world No. 2 who came into the tournament ranked third, served for the championship up 6-5. She served out wide, but Sabalenka was ready with a daring cross-court backhand. In the winner’s press conference, the Belarusian explained it was from having rewatched her lost Australian Open championship point countless times:

“I was standing there thinking, okay, I’ve got to cover a wide serve, and I left T serve for her to ace it or whatever. So lucky me, she served wide again and I just covered that side. And doesn’t matter how fast the serve is, I know that I can block it and I can return. So I got super lucky in that point. I pulled out two really great shots and I feel like that was the moment that gave me so much mental power.”

When Sabalenka regained the upper hand and served for the match, Rybakina returned a powerful serve long on the final point. The match, which went on over 2 hours and 30 minutes, was contested under the worst conditions the desert could throw at them. Sabalenka said, “It was super hot. I was dying there in the tiebreak, but I also saw that she was also not feeling her best. So I was trying to push myself basically to the limit.”

The two of them have played each other sixteen times now, but the runner-up saw this particular match as different altogether. She told media, “The third set, it was fight with the conditions, with the opponent, with yourself at some point. It wasn’t easy with such heat.”

The 26-year-old Rybakina had played more evening matches and saw that as a liability going into the sweltering 11 am match. She said, “I’m happy that I played the other matches kind of later, but there is also a moment where I maybe didn’t get used to such hot conditions and morning matches.” Adding, “It’s at some point good to not play in the morning and play last match, but at the same time you are not really adapting as quick.”

With the Miami Open starting up, the players are poised to head to the airport tonight. While the champion’s athletic trainer told Women’s Tennis Blog that they would likely have to do some of the recovery work en route, Sabalenka shared another idea at the press conference: “A couple espresso martinis and Five Guys to go. Basically, that’s why I’m never in good shape, because it’s Five Guys and espresso martinis in celebration.”