Sabalenka Dominates Paolini, Advances to Miami Open Final

MIAMI, March 27 (UPI) — Aryna Sabalenka showcased her dominance on Thursday, defeating Jasmine Paolini in the semifinals of the Miami Open, securing her spot in the final with a commanding 6-2, 6-2 victory. The match, held at Hard Rock Stadium, lasted just 71 minutes.

“I’m super happy,” Sabalenka said in her on-court interview. “I’m super happy I was able to give myself another chance, another final and another opportunity to hold a trophy. I’m super excited for another final. I can’t wait to play.”

Ranked No. 1 in the world, Sabalenka will face either No. 4 Jessica Pegula or No. 140 Alexandra Eala in the women’s singles final on Saturday in Miami Gardens, Florida. Sabalenka proved her prowess, outclassing Paolini, the No. 7 seed, with 31 winners compared to Paolini’s 19, and dominating in aces 6-3.

Displaying effective serving and aggressive returns, Sabalenka did not give Paolini a chance, converting all four break point opportunities. “She’s an incredible player,” Sabalenka remarked about her opponent. “I knew I’d have to work for every point against her. I focused on my serve.”

Sabalenka’s performance continues her strong run at the tournament. The Belarusian has yet to drop a set and is seeking her first Miami Open title, having lost in the final at Indian Wells earlier this month to Mirra Andreeva. Scheduled to take place at 12:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday, the final matches the talented Sabalenka against either Pegula or Eala.

In the other semifinal, Jessica Pegula eliminated the 19-year-old sensation Eala with a tightly contested score of 7-6 (7-3), 5-7, 6-3. Eala made headlines during her run, defeating several Grand Slam champions, including world No. 2 Iga Swiatek.

Eala’s journey has been remarkable, considering she entered the tournament ranked 140th and had only two WTA main draw wins prior to Miami. She expressed pride in her achievements, stating, “To have a week like this, the stars need to align and they did this week, and hopefully I can keep that up. That is my goal now, to keep this up.” As a graduate of the Rafael Nadal Academy, Eala is set to break into the world’s top 100 rankings next week.

With the men’s singles final scheduled for Sunday at the same time, Miami Open attendees eagerly anticipate the thrilling conclusion of the women’s competition, where Sabalenka aims to claim her first title at this prestigious event.