MIAMI GARDENS, Florida: Aryna Sabalenka entered the Miami Open final against Jessica Pegula with 18 career titles on her elite resume.
The Miami Open crown had proved elusive until Saturday.
The No. 1 seed from Belarus knocked off fourth-seeded American Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 for her first Miami Open title in a rematch of the 2024 US Open final.
Sabalenka fired up her lethal forehand in posting 22 winners on that wing to win the $1.1 million first prize. Sabalenka hit a backhand passing shot on match point after which she raised both hands to the air and looked up to the sky.
“Thank God the rain stopped,” Sabalenka said. “It was like Miami was crying that I won this tournament. I enjoyed playing here, every minute of it.”
Sabalenka, a three-time Grand Slam champion, had won the US Open over Pegula, also in straight sets, 7-5, 7-5, but in 2025, Sabalenka’s finals luck had run out.
The 26-year-old power player had reached the finals of four of six events this year, though only copped one title (Brisbane) before Miami. Sabalenka lost in the finals of the Australian Open and at Indian Wells — the event that preceded Miami.
“You’re the best player in the world for a reason,’’ Pegula said to Sabalenka during the trophy ceremony. “You keep challenging everyone to get better. The level of tennis you’ve been able to play is amazing.’’
Sabalenka now lives in Miami but Pegula had the crowd support. Pegula, a 31-year-old Buffalo native, has lived in Boca Raton since she was 13 and is daughter of Terry Pegula, owner of the Buffalo Bills and Sabres. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was in attendance as the league owners meetings takes place Monday in nearby Palm Beach.
“It’s still cool to see this transform from a Dolphins-Bills game to a tennis stadium,’’ Pegula said.
Neither player could hold serve well in the first set. Sabalenka broke Pegula’s serve four times and won it 7-5, winning the last eight points of the set.
Pegula was up a break at 3-2 but couldn’t hold it in a topsy-turvy set that also saw Pegula break Sabalenka’s serve three times.
At 5-5, Sabalenka held serve at love for 6-5 lead, then broke Pegula at love after hitting three straight winners – two at the net.
Sabalenka leads the series vs. Pegula 7-2 and has won the last three meetings.
The men’s doubles final, first on the card, was stopped by rain in the second set with No. 1 seed Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic leading No. 6 Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool 7-6, 3-2. 30-30. Arevalo/Pavic closed out the championship quickly 7-6, 6-3, but the rain delay caused the 3 p.m. women’s final to begin more than one hour tardy.

LONDON: Royal Ascot-winning trainer Ed Bethell is set to chase his first international Group 1 victory as his star sprinter Regional lines up for the Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night next weekend.

Within just four years of earning his trainer’s license, Bethell has already made a name for himself on the British racing scene, securing a Group 1 victory in the Haydock Sprint Cup with Regional and a Royal Ascot win in the Britannia Stakes with Mickley.

He was also on the verge of another major triumph when Point Lynas crossed the line first at the York Ebor Festival, only to lose the race following a stewards’ inquiry.

Now, Bethell is looking to extend his success beyond British shores, with Regional primed for the prestigious six-furlong sprint at Meydan Racecourse next Saturday. 

Regional has been a revelation under Bethell’s training since being bought as a horse-in-training for just 3,500 guineas ($4,750) at Tattersalls.

Since then, he has finished in the prize money in 16 of his 17 starts for Bethell and his owners, amassing over £575,000 ($744,000) in earnings. His resume includes a Group 1 win at Haydock and a runner-up finish in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2024.

Speaking to Great British Racing International, Bethell expressed his admiration for the sprinter and his confidence heading into Dubai.

“Regional is incredibly special. Any horse to win you a Group 1 is special, but I guess it’s a rags-to-riches story, and I probably will never find another like him. He had a big break, and his work has been really good coming into this race. He has been absolutely great,” Bethell said.

The 31-year-old trainer is no stranger to the Al Quoz Sprint, having previously had Moss Gill contest the race in 2021, though COVID-19 restrictions prevented him from attending.

This time, he hopes to be trackside for what could be a career-defining moment, adding: “Hopefully, it will be a great experience.”

Bethell, who trains from his base in Yorkshire, has enjoyed a rapid rise through the British training ranks.

His 20 percent strike rate on turf in 2024 has caught the attention of leading owners across the globe, with backing from the the US, Asia, and the Middle East.

With Regional set to take on some of the world’s fastest turf sprinters in Dubai, a strong performance on World Cup night could further cement Bethell’s status as one of Britain’s rising training stars.

Reflecting on his progress since taking out his license, Bethell said: “We have improved year-on-year. Our facilities and our team are bigger and better than ever. It’s exciting, but we want to continue to improve and get better.”