Mar 27, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Aryna Sabalenka reacts after winning a point against Jasmine Paolini (ITA)(not pictured) in a women’s singles semifinal on day ten of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
World number one Aryna Sabalenka blasted her way into the final of the Miami Open with a convincing 6-2 6-2 demolition of Italy’s Jasmine Paolini.
Sabalenka needed just 71 minutes to wrap-up her win against the sixth seed and she will now face the winner of Thursday’s other semi-final between American Jessica Pegula and wildcard Alex Eala.
LIVE: Alex Eala vs Jessica Pegula – 2025 Miami Open semifinal
The win earns the Belarusian, who was beaten in the Indian Wells final earlier this month by Mirra Andreeva, a place in the Miami final for the first time in her career.
“I’m super happy with the level I played today. Of course super happy to be in my first Miami Open final,” said Sabalenka.
Sabalenka was never behind against Paolini, and the match was only tied twice — at 1-1 in each set. She served six aces and broke the Italian’s serve four times.
Mar 27, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Aryna Sabalenka (L) shakes hands with Jasmine Paolini (ITA)(R) at the net after their women’s singles semifinal on day ten of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
“I definitely would say that this was one of the best matches in the season so far. I don’t know. I was just so focused on myself, on the things I had to do today.
“It felt like everything was just, like, going smoothly my way,” she said.
Sabalenka will be keen to banish the memory of defeat in the Indian Wells final and in the Australian Open final where she lost to Madison Keys.
“The lessons (of those defeats) was I believe focus on myself, not on what’s going on the other side,” she said.
“I think in those finals I was more focusing on my opponents than on myself. I think I just have to bring the same attitude, the same mindset that I had today, I think I have to bring it in the finals,” she said.
“I really feel this time I’m going to do better than I did in the last two finals,” added the 26-year-old.
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She is only the sixth woman to reach the finals of both stops on the American ‘Sunshine Swing’ in the same season.
