Aryna Sabalenka Gives Verdict on Miami Crowd After Calling Out a ‘Lady’ for Disrupting Final Against Coco Gauff

Aryna Sabalenka defended her Miami Open crown and also completed the Sunshine Double.

Aryna Sabalenka Gives Verdict on Miami Crowd After Calling Out a ‘Lady’ for Disrupting Final Against Coco Gauff

Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff (Image via X/Tiempo De Tenis, The Tennis Letter)

In Short
  • Aryna Sabalenka won the Miami Open final against Coco Gauff, completing the Sunshine Double.
  • During the match, Sabalenka confronted a spectator for disrupting play, later apologizing for her reaction.
  • This victory marks Sabalenka's 11th WTA 1000 singles title and breaks her head-to-head tie with Gauff.

Aryna Sabalenka scripted history on March 28. She upset home favorite Coco Gauff in the Miami Open final to complete the Sunshine Double.

Unlike several finals in big events, this time Sabalenka did not let her emotions control her during crucial moments. But a vocal fan did get under her nerves.

During a rally in the third set, a member of the crowd, a lady, yelled, “out” after Sabalenka’s shot. The lady once again yelled “out” after Gauff’s shot. In the heat of the moment, the four-time Grand Slam champion yelled, “shut up” toward that spectator.

The umpire urged the crowd to keep quiet during a point, but also ended up giving Sabalenka a warning for “audible obscenity”. During her winner’s speech, Sabalenka did not forget that lady and apologized to her, saying, “I don’t know where you are, that lady that hoped for the ‘out.’ I shouldn’t have been that rude.” Later at the press conference, she said that she felt relieved after screaming.

Yeah, it was it was a bit of frustration over there. But yeah, I just I apologized, but at the same time like she was also wrong, but probably I should have control myself a little bit better. But actually, when I screamed that like I felt so relieved and so loose, and even if she would be keep yelling, I wouldn’t hear her. But you know, I really felt that people were super respectful to me, and they were cheering for great tennis.

The win has helped Sabalenka break the head-to-head tie with Gauff and take a 7-6 lead. It was Sabalenka’s 11th WTA 1000 singles title.

Of course, they were supporting Coco. I knew I knew what’s going to happen in this match. But I’ve got huge Brazilian community cheering for me. So, I felt a lot of support, and I really enjoyed the atmosphere and like people, you know, cheering for their player.

Aryna Sabalenka added

Sabalenka has become the fifth woman to complete the Sunshine Double, joining Steffi Graf, Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka, and Iga Swiatek. She has become the first woman to accomplish the feat since the six-time Grand Slam champion did it back in 2022.

Aryna Sabalenka on what motivates her to keep producing strong performances

Aryna Sabalenka hates losing, and that motivates her to keep pushing herself. She admitted that she is nowhere close to the legends of the game, so she’s trying to go as far as possible and inspire the next generation of players, and show them that it’s possible to balance her life on and off the court, and help them stay healthy in spite of the demanding calendar.

Aryna Sabalenka
Aryna Sabalenka (Image via X/Tiempo De Tenis)

I hate to lose. I hate that feeling when you lose a match. I can’t sleep, I dream about tennis, I hate myself for making some mistakes that may have cost me the match, I hate that feeling. Just for that, every time I step onto the court, I try to give my best and do everything possible and impossible to win.

Aryna Sabalenka said at the press conference

After the conclusion of the Sunshine Double events, the European clay swing will start. Last year, in the clay-court events, the 27-year-old lifted just the Madrid Open by defeating Coco Gauff, and lost in the finals of the Stuttgart Open to Jelena Ostapenko and to Gauff in the French Open final.

Sabalenka has so far played 44 singles finals, winning 24 titles. Last year, she clinched three Big Titles: the Miami Open, Madrid Open, and the US Open. In Miami and New York, she beat home favorites Jessica Pegula and Amanda Anisimova, respectively.

Also read: Goran Ivanisevic Speaks on the Lack of Finals Between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in 2026