It’s a familiar final line-up at the WTA 1000 in Miami as Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula already battled each other in championship matches in Cincinnati and at the US Open last year. Both have picked up their form so much in the United States over the last few weeks and will now clash for another trophy on American soil. It was World No. 1 Sabalenka who came out on top in their 2024 rivalry, can Pegula avoid a third consecutive loss?
WTA Miami Final Prediction
Aryna Sabalenka vs Jessica Pegula
Head-to-head: Sabalenka 6-2
Sort of like last year, Aryna Sabalenka had a bit of a lull right after the Australian Open. But she’s back in top shape much earlier than in 2024 and made us forget about the shaky performances in the Middle East. She’s now 22-4 for the season and was only stopped by Mirra Andreeva in the Indian Wells final. During this Miami run she’s been nothing short of unplayable, not allowing anyone more than five games in a set.
Jessica Pegula is on a great streak herself, even though after an early Australian Open loss and a forgettable Middle Eastern swing there were concerns regarding her current disposition. But she’s 12-1 from there, starting with the title in Austin and then eventually making her first Miami final. Her run hasn’t been as uneventful as Sabalenka’s with the 31-year-old getting pushed to deciders by Anna Kalinskaya and Emma Raducanu. But she keeps performing well at this event, making it to the quarterfinals (at least) in four consecutive editions.
Their two finals last year weren’t a good omen from Pegula’s perspective. She was quite possibly in the form of her life and gave a couple of strong efforts, yet it was always her who was on the back foot and desperately trying to keep things tight. Besides 2023 WTA Finals in windy Cancun, her only other win over Sabalenka came in their first meeting in Cincinnati five years ago. When the World No. 1 is on, she can be like a bulldozer that won’t give you any space to work with and Pegula doesn’t quite have the quality to fire back. She’ll need the Belarusian to have a somewhat supbar showing.
Prediction: Sabalenka in 3
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images
