“Aryna Sabalenka close to breaking Serena Williams’ historic record.”

, the force of nature in women’s tennis, has just won the prestigious Miami Open title, thus completing the coveted ‘’ by adding this victory to her previous triumph at the . The world number one displayed impressive resilience by defeating young prospect with an exhilarating score of 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, in a final that had all the ingredients of a great spectacle.

The match began with Sabalenka dominating, Gauff, with her characteristic grit, was not intimidated and fought back in the second set. However, Sabalenka, who has stood out for managing her emotions under pressure, showcased her class again in the decisive set. With a solid and determined performance, she broke Gauff’s serve at a critical moment, sealing the victory and reaffirming her status in the tennis elite.

With this victory, Sabalenka raises her total points in the ranking to an impressive 11,025, distancing herself from her closest rival, Elena Rybakina, who has 8,108 points. But the Belarusian is not content with that; she has her sights set on the historic record for accumulated points, established by Serena Williams with 13,615 points in June 2013. If Sabalenka continues to rack up titles in the upcoming WTA 1000 tournaments in Madrid and Rome, and secures her first title at Roland Garros, she could be on track to match or even surpass this legendary milestone.

Sabalenka expressed her emotions following the victory, stating: “I didn’t have a moment to stop and reflect on what happened in the last few months. I am so proud of the work we have done and the fight I was able to bring to the court.” The player highlighted the mental strength that accompanied her during the match, saying that “I knew I was doing everything right and it was just a matter of a few points.”

Coco Gauff, in turn, demonstrated admirable sportsmanship after the match. The young player, who grew up watching games in the same stadium, said: “It’s crazy to be able to speak in this stadium. I grew up going to all the Dolphins games. It’s really cool to be on this stage.” Gauff, despite facing challenges, expressed gratitude for being in the final and praised Sabalenka: “You push me to be a better player. Congratulations on all your success on and off the court.”

Although Gauff faced some difficulties with her serve, her performance in the tournament should be seen as a positive step in her career. However, at this moment, Aryna Sabalenka reigns supreme as the undisputed queen of women’s tennis, aiming not only for the top of the rankings, but also for the history of the sport.

This article first appeared on Apito Final.