Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus lifts the Butch Buchholz trophy after defeating American Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 in the women's singles final at the Miami Open tennis tournament on Saturday. AP

MIAMI GARDENS, Florida — 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.

In what was a rematch of the 2024 US Open final, the No 1 seed from Belarus thundered past the American fourth seed 7-5, 6-2 for her first Miami Open title.

Sabalenka fired up her lethal forehand, hitting 24 winners to claim the $1.1 million first prize. She fired off 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 US Open over Pegula, also in straight sets, 7-5, 7-5, but, in 2025, Sabalenka's finals luck seemed to have run out.

The power player has reached the finals of four of six events this year, though only managed to collect one title, in Brisbane, before adding Miami. Sabalenka lost in the finals of the Australian Open and at Indian Wells — the event that preceded this latest triumph.

She credited her consistent form this season on finally mastering her temper, which once plagued her performances.

In the past, Sabalenka would react to a break of serve, or moments of frustration, with anger and sometimes loud displays of her annoyance with herself.

But, there was no sign of that against Pegula, and Sabalenka said that it was the result of a realization that there was more to her game than her big serve.