MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — 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 U.S. Open final. Sabalenka fired up her lethal forehand in posting 24 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, looked up to the sky and blew a kiss. “Thank God the rain stopped,” Sabalenka said during the trophy ceremony. “It was like Miami was crying that I won this tournament.’’ Sabalenka, a three-time Grand Slam champion, had won the U.S. 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 has reached the finals of four of six events this year, though only copped one title, in Brisbane, before adding Miami. Sabalenka lost in the finals of the Australian Open and at Indian Wells — the event that preceded Miami. Sabalenka, who now lives in Miami, brought the hand-blown crystal trophy to the interview room. “Finally I was able to play my best tennis in the finals,’’ Sabalenka said. “I’m super happy to hold this beautiful trophy. I feel like home here, even though I’m traveling every week, it still feels like home.’’ Sabalenka said she will spend the next two weeks in Miami, relaxing before the clay season. “My team is so exhausted so today we will chill, but tomorrow I’m going to force them to have drinks drinks, burgers, pizza (and) have fun," Sabalenka said. "I think we should celebrate because we struggled after those tough finals, all kind of depressed. After this final, we have to celebrate to remember the moment.’’ During the trophy ceremony, Pegula said to Sabalenka: “You’re the best player in the world for a reason. You keep challenging everyone to get better. The level of tennis you’ve been able to play is amazing.’’ While Sabalenka is a recent South Florida resident, Pegula, a 31-year-old Buffalo native, had the crowd support. Pegula 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. Her father was also on hand. “It’s still cool to see this transform from a Dolphins-Bills game to a tennis stadium,’’ Pegula said. Pegula said she saw Goodell, whom she had met before, before the match. “He was with his daughter and family an hour before the match,’’ Pegula said. “I didn’t know he was coming. I saw him in the cafeteria. It was kind of funny.’’ 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. At 5-5, Sabalenka held serve at love for a 6-5 lead, then broke Pegula at love after hitting three straight winners — two at the net. “She was able to hit the lines when she needed to, hit the big serve with the 1-2 punch when she needed to,’’ Pegula said. Sabalenka leads the series vs. Pegula 7-2 and has won the last three meetings – all finals. Pegula sounded tired of losing to her. “Now it feels like the last year Aryna has, especially on the hard courts, been kind of unstoppable virtually,’’ Pegula said. “I definitely like embracing that challenge, although I am getting a little annoyed with playing her.’’ Pegula smiled, adding “I don’t know if I would have won if I played someone else. But, man, I mean, it’s three titles.’’ 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 and 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. ___ AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis ...read more read less