Coco Gauff falls to Aryna Sabalenka in Miami Open championship match
Before a sell-out, pro-Coco Gauff crowd of 16,830 at Hard Rock Stadium, Sabalenka captured her second straight Miami Open with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 victory.
MIAMI GARDENS — Aryna Sabalenka said before the Miami Open finals she was happy Coco Gauff had found her best tennis in her home tournament. But Gauff, the Delray Beach icon, didn’t have her best March 28 despite forcing the world’s No. 1 player to a third set.
Before a sell-out, pro-Coco crowd of 16,830 at Hard Rock Stadium, Sabalenka captured her second straight Miami Open with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 victory over Gauff. More Coco Gauff: Coco Gauff hopes Serena Williams serious about making a comeback Five of Gauff’s six matches went three sets so the 22-year-old played a lot of tennis in her backyard. Gauff had never went past the fourth round of her home tournament and mulled not playing it after a forearm injury in Indian Wells three weeks ago.
In fact, her team wanted her to skip the event. On a 79-degree afternoon, Gauff fought back to force a third set but couldn’t maintain the momentum she got from the deafening crowd support rooting madly for the South Floridian superstar. Gauff’s off-and-on serve created 7 double faults while Sabalenka registered none.
“It’s crazy to be able to talk in a stadium I’ve been to a lot of Dolphins games,’’ Gauff said during the trophy ceremony. “You’re a great fighter and you’ve pushed me to be a better player. ’’ Gauff was ahead 5-4 in the second set at 30-30 played her best tennis of the afternoon, In breaking Sabalenka for the second set.