Aryna Sabalenka shares what she expects from Coco Gauff ahead of Miami Open final

Aryna Sabalenka picked up another tough win over Elena Rybakina last night, adding another chapter to what’s quickly become one of the top rivalries in women’s tennis.

It was a clash that felt more like a final than a semi-final, especially given how their recent meetings have played out. Rybakina had come out on top at the WTA Finals and Australian Open, while Sabalenka had taken the title at Indian Wells.

After her straight-sets win, Sabalenka spoke warmly about Rybakina and praised the level of their matches.

The focus now shifts to Coco Gauff, who awaits Sabalenka in the final.

Sabalenka shares thoughts on Gauff ahead of Miami Open final

Sabalenka took a moment during her on-court interview to acknowledge Rybakina, saying:

“She’s an incredible player, always pushes me to the limit, and, you know, with her, you have to bring her best tennis, and that’s why I was able to pull out such great tennis today. “I think, I don’t know, I think I did everything right, and she played great.”

“But I think I pushed her so much, and I’m proud of this win, and it’s always tough physically mentally and I’m happy to get another win against her.”

When asked about what she expects from facing Gauff in the final for the fifth time in their careers (with each holding two wins), Sabalenka replied: “A lot of rallies a lot of emotions a lot of aggression a lot of fun.

Gauff leads their overall head-to-head record 7-5 as they prepare for their 13th career meeting.

Coco Gauff has what it takes to unsettle Sabalenka once more

Even though Sabalenka is the stronger player on paper, she’s yet to find the right formula against Gauff.

And with the Miami crowd behind her, Gauff has every reason to feel confident about causing problems again.

We’ve seen how much Sabalenka can be affected by a hostile atmosphere. Just look back at the 2022 US Open final when she fell apart under the pressure of a crowd that was fully against her.

The same thing happened at last year’s Roland Garros final. She had a set lead but couldn’t handle the chaos and let it slip away.

Gauff seems to have a knack for getting under her skin, and if she brings that same energy this weekend, it could pay off again. But there’s more to her chances than just hoping for another Sabalenka meltdown.

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