Sabalenka Dominates in Miami Open, Eyes Title

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Aryna Sabalenka, the top seed and world No. 1, secured a decisive victory over Bulgaria’s Viktoriya Tomova with a score of 6-3, 6-0 in just 58 minutes during the second round of the Miami Open on Thursday.

After a slow start that saw her drop the first game, Sabalenka quickly regained control, breaking Tomova six times throughout the match. The win marks a strong return to form for Sabalenka, who previously lost to Mirra Andreeva in the final of the Indian Wells tournament last weekend.

“I cannot complain about my season,” Sabalenka said in a post-match interview. “Of course, I lost two biggest finals. But it’s only a lesson, not that big of a loss, to be honest. I feel like my tennis is getting better every day.”

Looking ahead, Sabalenka will face Romanian qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse, who advanced after defeating Polish player Magdalena Frech 6-4, 6-4. This upcoming match marks their first meeting on the court.

In her first round, Sabalenka demonstrated her dominance by hitting 32 winners and winning six of Tomova’s seven service games. “Of course, Miami, there is only one thing everyone wants here is to win the title. I really hope I can play same way I played at Indian Wells and improve in the finals. Let’s just take it step by step,” she added.

Sabalenka has been performing impressively this season, holding an 18-4 record while leading the WTA rankings ahead of the second-ranked Iga Swiatek by more than 2,200 points. Although she began the year with a title in Brisbane, she faced challenges in the more prestigious finals at the Australian Open and Indian Wells.

“I just need to get a little bit better in those last stages of the tournament, maybe be less stressed and more focused on myself,” Sabalenka noted.

The Belarusian star is also familiar with the Miami tournament, having reached the quarterfinals in 2021 and 2023, though she has yet to claim a title here.

Meanwhile, on the men’s side, noteworthy matches included a successful ATP Masters 1000 debut by American player Tommy Paul, who defeated his wild card opponent 6-3, 7-6(4), and will face Indian Wells finalist as he continues his pursuit of a title.

As the tournament progresses, many fans are eagerly anticipating how Sabalenka will navigate her upcoming matches and if she can finally capture the Miami Open title she has been chasing.