Aryna Sabalenka continues to write her name in the annals of tennis history. The Belarusian arrived at this American hard court swing with a clear objective: to win the Sunshine Double. And she did just that. The world number one becomes the fifth player on the WTA circuit to achieve it, defeating Coco Gauff (6-2, 4-6, 6-3) in a hard-fought final in Miami.
Following these titles in Indian Wells and Miami, the Minsk native regains her best form after a start to the year where she couldn't clinch her third Australian Open title and solidifies her reign on the circuit. Despite Elena Rybakina showing an improvement in recent months, Coco Gauff fighting in this tournament, and Iga Swiatek remaining out of sight, Sabalenka dominates the WTA with an iron fist.
After her victory, she spoke in the post-match press conference about her accomplishment during this swing, her final battle against Gauff, and about a March she won't forget for a long time.

Aryna Sabalenka reveals what it means to be the fifth player in history to achieve the Sunshine Double
"It means a lot. My goal has always been to etch my name in history, and I just did it. It sounds so unreal, I don't know how I managed to do it, but right now I'm super proud. And, of course, super happy with this beautiful trophy."
A highly competitive match against Gauff
"I felt really good. I felt the level was incredible. The second set wasn't ideal towards the end, but I knew she would give her best to fight in that match and try to win."
"There were a couple of things that didn't go very well in that last game of the second set, but I was just trying to maintain a positive mindset heading into the third. I'm super happy about how I handled my emotions and how I stayed focused from the beginning to the end."
Approaching the Miami final with a different mindset
"Well, it's deep, and it's going to sound very simple, but my mindset entering this final was: ‘There's no way I'm losing this’. I tried to carry that tough mindset that I was going to be there fighting for every point, that I wasn't going to let anything affect me, that I would stay focused, fight for every point, and try to find solutions if needed. And I kept reminding myself constantly how strong I am and that I could do it."
"That worked out really well. It's very simple but also very hard because when you get too excited, you forget everything. But in the recent finals, I've been very strong inside and very positive mentally. Also, we had a great preparation. I worked really hard. So every time I started to doubt myself, I made myself come back and remind myself: ‘No, no, no. You're strong enough to do this’."
Revealing her true motivation
"I hate losing. I hate that feeling when you lose a match. I can't sleep, I dream about tennis, I hate myself for making some mistakes that might have cost me the match, I hate that feeling. Just for that, every time I step on the court, I try to give my best and do everything possible and impossible to win."
"As for motivation, I'm not even close to legends. What motivates me? Trying to go as far as possible in this sport, inspire the next generation, be a good example for the next generation, show that balance between life on and off the court, and also help people stay healthy in such a tough and demanding environment."
A more than intense March
"What a month. It has been really tough to keep up with the pace of this month in my life: I adopted a dog, got proposed to, and won the Sunshine Double. Yes, it sounds surreal, doesn't it? Right now, I feel like I'm living the life of my dreams."
Praising Gauff's mobility
"Oh my. Her movement is something else. When you play against her, you know there's always going to be another ball. And it's all about staying focused and being ready for that extra ball to come back."
"Her movement is out of the ordinary. I wish I could move at 70% of what she has. But yes, she's an incredible player and a fighter. It's always a challenge to play against her, and I've been enjoying this rivalry a lot lately. I hope she stays consistent, and hopefully, we'll meet in many more finals."
The key to winning in Miami again
"What has really worked for me in the past is not focusing too much on the past and staying in the present. When I arrived at this tournament, I wasn't really thinking about defending the title or anything like that. I was just trying to take it step by step. I think staying in the present moment has been the key to being so consistent," states Aryna Sabalenka, who, after achieving the Sunshine Double, wants to continue making history.
本新闻为自动翻译。您可以阅读原始新闻:Sabalenka, tras su Sunshine Double: "Mi objetivo siempre ha sido poner mi nombre en la historia, y acabo de hacerlo"

