Hard courts are clearly Aryna Sabalenka`s preferred surface, perfectly suited to her powerful style of play.
Her dominant 7-5, 6-2 victory over Jessica Pegula in the Miami Open final confirmed her exceptional form. Currently, on fast hard courts, she appears to be in a league of her own.
Pegula, ranked No. 4 in the world and potentially No. 3 with a win, is also known for her hard-court skills. However, Sabalenka has consistently outperformed her, winning their last seven out of eight matches, all in straight sets.
The first set was tightly contested until 5-5, after which Sabalenka took complete control. Serving at 5-all, love-15, she won the next nine points, securing the set and ultimately the match about 40 minutes later.
Pegula acknowledged Sabalenka`s ability to elevate her game in crucial moments. She stated that Sabalenka consistently raises her level when it matters most, which was the deciding factor in this match and their recent encounters.
Over the past two years at hard-court Grand Slams, Sabalenka has won approximately three out of every five matches against any opponent. Her dominance in women`s tennis is evident in several key statistics:
- She holds 10,541 points in the WTA rankings, over 3,000 more than No. 2 Iga Swiatek. Importantly, she has no points to defend at Wimbledon.
- She leads the tour in match wins this year (23), straight-set wins (20), and final appearances (four).
- Against Top 10 players since last year, she boasts a 12-2 record and has hit the most winners this year (716).
Remarkably, Sabalenka reached the finals of the Australian Open and Indian Wells this season and became only the third woman to reach the finals in Melbourne, Indian Wells, and Miami in the same year.
En route to her first Miami Open title in her seventh attempt, Sabalenka defeated three Top 10 players: Pegula, Jasmine Paolini (No. 7), and Zheng Qinwen (No. 9). This was only the second time in her career she has achieved this feat. She only dropped 30 games throughout the six matches.
With six WTA 1000 hard-court titles, Sabalenka is behind only Victoria Azarenka (10) and Serena Williams (eight). At just 26 years old, she appears to be just beginning her reign.
Sabalenka`s powerful game has evolved subtly. While she may not be serving as many aces, she is serving more effectively by aiming for her targets with greater control. She has also incorporated more drop shots, but her improved slice is the most significant development this year. Against Pegula, nearly 20% of her shots had backspin, enhancing the effectiveness of her powerful topspin groundstrokes.
Pegula noted improvements in Sabalenka`s movement and her incorporation of intangible shots like slices and drop shots. She believes these additions to Sabalenka`s aggressive game make her even more formidable.
After her victory, Sabalenka spoke about her determination to win her first Miami title, especially since Miami has been her home for over three years. She emphasized the importance of handling emotions and playing her best in finals. Winning in her home city and having the trophy at home is particularly meaningful for her.
Regarding her increased use of slice shots, Sabalenka highlighted the importance of variety in her game to avoid being predictable. She and her team have worked hard to incorporate this element, recognizing that relying solely on power is insufficient to be the best. This tactical addition is something they will continue to develop.
A notable statistic is that since her tour debut in 2017, Sabalenka has won the most hard-court titles (17), five more than Iga Swiatek. Sabalenka found this statistic “crazy” and “impressive,” acknowledging Swiatek`s dominance on clay and expressing that this hard-court achievement is a testament to her hard work.
Sabalenka is currently over 3,000 points ahead of Swiatek in the rankings and has no Wimbledon points to defend. While she isn`t focused on the rankings, she recognizes the significant point difference as positive and remains focused on self-improvement and delivering her best performance consistently.
Looking ahead to the clay season, Sabalenka is excited to compete in Stuttgart, Madrid, Rome, and Paris. Despite perceptions of her clay-court game, she believes she can perform well on the surface. Her focus will be on enhancing her fitness to endure long rallies throughout matches. Having reached two clay finals last year, she hopes to secure a title this clay season, promising to fight for every point and bring her best spirit.
Jasper Hawthorne 
Dominic Ashworth