Will Sabalenka defend her title?
Tennis isn’t the only sport played at Hard Rock Stadium. From August to January, the arena is home to the Miami Dolphins. Delray Beach is an hour’s drive away from this venue. That’s where the local hero from our Aryna Sabalenka vs. Coco Gauff tip grew up.
It has always been her biggest goal—alongside winning Grand Slam titles—to win the Masters event in Florida. At 22 years old, the American gets her first chance in our Aryna Sabalenka vs. Coco Gauff prediction.
Although the local hero has already won two Grand Slam trophies, the odds for the Aryna Sabalenka – Coco Gauff match seem reasonable. The Belarusian has been too strong this season, dominating her way through the Masters tournament in Miami.
Should Gauff defy the odds and win her first title of the year, she would become the youngest American Miami Open champion since Serena Williams (2003). To reach this point, the 22-year-old has overcome several challenges in her tournament matches so far and won all her matches in three sets.
Aryna Sabalenka has not dropped a single set in this event. The 27-year-old has fully lived up to her status as the world No. 1 this season. The Miami Open is her fourth tournament—and for the fourth time, the defending champion is in the final.
Aryna Sabalenka – Coco Gauff Head-to-Head Record
So far, the two top-4 players have faced each other in twelve matches. Both Sabalenka and Gauff have six wins each. On hard courts, the head-to-head record is razor-thin in favor of the world No. 1 (5-4). In one category, however, the American sets the tone.
The 22-year-old has won two of the three championship matches against Sabalenka. In 2025, the two-time Grand Slam champion lost two of the three head-to-head matches but won the Roland Garros final (2-1). You shouldn’t overlook this factor.
Aryna Sabalenka – Coco Gauff Tip
It’s also interesting to look at the hard-court matchups between these top rivals. Six of the nine matches on hard courts went the full three sets. If Sabalenka (73 percent) and Gauff (72 percent) maintain their first-serve point-winning percentages from previous tournament matches, another three-set battle is entirely realistic.
The Belarusian holds a clear advantage over her opponent, who is five years her junior, particularly when comparing second serves.
It’s no coincidence that the local favorite has had to go the full distance in every tournament match. She has faced 45 break points.
In these high-pressure situations, however, Gauff has often kept her cool, fending off 25 of the 45 break points and coming out on top. Now the 22-year-old is set to play in her 15th career final. 2026 has been a mixed bag so far, but in Miami she is back in the final—for the first time this season. The world No. 4 has always demonstrated fighting spirit. She will need that fighting spirit against the defending champion.
