World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is ready to battle Coco Gauff for a second straight Miami Open crown, promising a final full of aggression and emotion.
ARYNA Sabalenka says she is ready to do whatever it takes to defend her Miami Open title against Coco Gauff.
The world number one will face the fourth-ranked American in Saturday’s final, with the pair having split their 12 previous meetings.
Their rivalry includes Gauff’s victory over Sabalenka in last year’s Roland Garros final to claim her second Grand Slam title.
Sabalenka is chasing not only a second straight Miami title but also the March hardcourt “Sunshine Double” of Indian Wells and Miami.
She said she would not be looking at their history as she plots how to take down Gauff.
“I never look back when I play anyone,” Sabalenka said.
“Doesn’t matter what head-to-head looks like. I always approach the match against any player as new matches as I play against a new player, always watch their games, I see the improvements, I see what they’re doing on court.”
Sabalenka is riding high after avenging her Australian Open finals loss to Elena Rybakina with a victory over the Kazakh in the Indian Wells championship match.
She beat Rybakina again on Thursday in the Miami semi-finals.
She has reached the final without dropping a set and predicted a thrilling contest.
“A lot of rallies, a lot of emotions, a lot of aggression, a lot of fun,” Sabalenka said.
“I’ll just go on Saturday with the mentality I’m ready to do whatever it takes to get the win, and I’ll be there fighting, doing my very best in each point.”
Gauff has had a sometimes rocky path in Miami, where she needed three sets in each of her first four matches.
She then produced a dominant win over Karolina Muchova in the semi-finals.
The American is still struggling to solve a worrying propensity for double faults.
“Especially with my serve, it just feels like I shouldn’t be where I am,” Gauff said.
“But tennis doesn’t lie, the ball doesn’t lie, so I just have to believe in myself.”
She was encouraged after the easy win over Muchova, especially with her forehand.
“I’ve been practicing well and I’ve just been waiting for it to click,” she said.
“I think it has not obviously fully clicked, but I think it is clicking.”
Gauff also appears to be over the nerve issue that caused “scary” pain in her left forearm.
That pain prompted her to retire from her third-round match at Indian Wells.
She almost skipped Miami, but the lure of the prestigious tournament less than an hour from her Delray Beach home was too much.
Now she is one win away from a title she has long coveted.
She takes a perfect 9-0 record in hardcourt finals into the clash with Sabalenka.
“This tournament means a lot and to be in the final is pretty crazy,” she said.