The memory of her “childhood dream” slipping away at the US Open final last year, courtesy of a straight-set loss to Aryna Sabalenka, still likely fuels Jessica Pegula. After that disappointment, Pegula admitted to a “glass half empty” perspective, noting her tendency to lose to eventual tournament winners. Now, just half a year later, she has a chance to rewrite that narrative as she prepares to face Sabalenka once more in the Miami Open final. This high-stakes encounter is the first Miami final to feature two Top 5 players since Serena Williams’ victory over Li Na in 2014. Amidst the anticipation, a practical question arises: what will the champion of the 2025 Miami Open Final earn?
Some quick facts about this Miami Open final:
This will be their ninth meeting on the Tour, and the Belarusian currently leads the H2H record by 6-2 (including 4-2 on hard courts and 2-0 in the finals).
Sabalenka has lost two consecutive finals this year (AO and Indian Wells).
Both Pegula and Sabalenka have already won one title each this season.
This will be Pegula’s third final of the season.
These two players are the only WTA players to reach more than two finals this season.
Sabalenka is the sixth player this century to reach both Indian Wells and Miami finals back-to-back.
Sabalenka will now be bidding to score three Top 10 wins in a single season for the second time in her career. On the other hand, Jessica Pegula will be bidding for her fifth win over a reigning world number one.
If Jessica Pegula beats Sabalenka, then she’ll become the oldest player to beat the world number one in a final since Martina Navratilova (1993).
Looking at the financial incentives and ranking points on offer at the Miami Open, this year’s outdoor hard-court event boasts a total prize pool exceeding $9,193,540, as per ATP’s official website.
By reaching the final, both Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula have already secured 650 crucial PIF WTA Ranking points and a significant sum of $597,890.
However, the stakes are even higher for Saturday’s champion, who will walk away with 1000 ranking points and a hefty $1,124,380 in prize money.
IT’S FINALS DAY!
Can Aryna Sabalenka clinch the coveted Sunshine Double or will Jessica Pegula win on home soil in Miami? pic.twitter.com/qnJ09HPQup
— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) March 29, 2025
What did Pegula and Sabalenka say before entering the battlefield in Miami? Well, according to the American, “I think she’s just a little bit better than me, results-wise, winning Australia, winning US Open, beating me Cincy, US Open. It’s going to be tough. Hopefully, I can get the better of her here. That would be awesome. But, you know, I’m also really proud that I can put myself up there with one of the best hard court players in the world. Making another final of a 1000 is huge.“
On the other hand, Aryna Sabalenka was spotted highlighting the importance of “mental toughness” after her recent win against Jasmine Paolini in the SF. While sharing her thoughts on her next match against Pegula, she said, “We had a lot of tough matches against each other. It’s always great battles. Cincinnati was a great level for me, but maybe not really from her. And then [the US Open] final was just like crazy match again. Yeah, she fought really hard in that second set, and that was tough match.“
She further added, “I don’t want to talk like that, that I do something better than her, but I think maybe — I don’t know. She’s a great player. Maybe mentally in some of the moments, I’m a bit tougher than her. But also, you cannot say that, ‘OK, I’m just tougher than her, that’s it, that’s done,‘ you know? You have to bring that mental toughness every time.”
Jessica Pegula thinks she’s serving a lot better now, and she is also quite happy with her returns. She knows chances will come in this match, but all she now needs to do is grab her chances with both hands on Saturday. If she manages to do that, there will be another interesting milestone lying ahead of her. What’s it, though?
Jessica Pegula has a lot to gain with a win against Aryna Sabalenka in the 2025 Miami Open final
Both these players are making their maiden Miami Open final. Before this match, Jessica Pegula said, “I’m one of the best hard-court players in the world, and she’s the best hard-court player in the world.” If she manages to beat the best of the rest, then she could well be handed a huge rankings boost in the upcoming days. What’s it?
Before this tournament, Gauff had 6,063 ranking points, and Pegula had 5,361 points. Gauff got eliminated in the R16 at the hands of Poland’s Magda Linette, while Pegula’s impressive run to the final has now ensured her 5,796 points in the WTA Live Rankings, earning an extra 435 ranking points for surpassing her performance in the previous edition. If Jessica Pegula wins the final match against Aryna Sabalenka, then she will climb up the ladder and become the new world number 3 with 6,146 points, replacing Coco Gauff and becoming the new US number one.
Will these results impact Aryna Sabalenka’s ranking? Well, Sabalenka has won more matches than anyone else on the WTA Tour so far this season. So no matter what happens in Miami, the Belarusian star is guaranteed to stay atop the WTA Rankings. She is guaranteed to hold over 10,000 ranking points for the very first time in her career and will hold 10,541 points if she manages to beat the American in the final. Who has a real edge in this epic battle, though?
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