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Victoria Azarenka, Kim Clijsters and Steffi Graf are the other three women to have previously achieved that feat.<\/p>\n
Sabalenka has won three WTA Tour titles and 23 of her 24 matches during this calendar year.<\/p>\n
Her only loss was in January’s Australian Open final to world number two Elena Rybakina, who had been the only player to win a set against Sabalenka in 2026 before American Gauff sent the Miami final into a decider.<\/p>\n
Sabalenka said on Sky Sports: “I haven’t had a moment to stop, look back and realise what’s happened in the past months.<\/p>\n
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“I’m so proud of the work we’ve done and the fight I was able to bring on court.<\/p>\n
“Coco will fight for every opportunity and she played incredibly, but I was mentally strong. I knew I was doing everything right and it was just a matter of a few points.”<\/p>\n
Despite losing, Gauff will move above Poland’s Swiatek to third in the world when the rankings are next updated.<\/p>\n
Both of the 22-year-old’s Grand Slam victories were sealed with wins in finals against Sabalenka and the pair’s head-to-head record was level at 6-6 prior to Saturday’s match.<\/p>\n
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Sabalenka had looked on course for a more convincing win when she broke in the very first game and raced through the first set.<\/p>\n
Gauff responded well, saving break points at 2-2 and 3-3 in set two before converting a set point on her opponent’s serve to level the contest.<\/p>\n
But four-time major champion Sabalenka gained an important break in the opening game of the decider and she clinched victory on her first match point when Gauff went wide with a backhand.<\/p>\n
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Meanwhile, Great Britain’s Henry Patten and Finnish partner Harri Helioevaara were beaten 6-4 6-2 in the final of the men’s doubles by Italian pair Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori.<\/p>\n
World number two Jannik Sinner plays Czech 21st seed Jiri Lehecka in the men’s singles final<\/a> on Sunday.<\/p>\n
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