Aryna Sabalenka has sent a clear message—she’s not just in great form, she believes she’s the best player on the planet right now. Her dominant run at the Miami Open ended with a 7-5, 6-2 victory over fourth seed Jessica Pegula, securing her first-ever title at the tournament. The World No.1 didn’t drop a single set throughout the competition, comfortably defeating Danielle Collins, Qinwen Zheng, and Jasmine Paolini en route to her 19th career title. The win was even more special as it came in Miami, a place Sabalenka calls home. After lifting the trophy, she expressed her joy, saying, “I enjoyed playing here, every minute of it.”
Off the court, Sabalenka embraced the Miami atmosphere and took time to explore the city’s vibrant sports culture. With Lionel Messi now playing for Inter Miami CF, Miami has become a hotspot for sports stars from around the world. Recently, Messi made an appearance at the Miami Open to watch Novak Djokovic, and now Sabalenka stepped into the soccer scene herself.
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Following her Miami Open triumph, Sabalenka visited Inter Miami’s Chase Stadium. There, she received a special welcome from club co-owner David Beckham, who presented her with a personalized Inter Miami jersey featuring the number 1. Sabalenka was thrilled, joking, “I like the number,” in a video shared by Inter Miami on social media. Later, she reflected on the moment, saying, “It’s so good to be at home, and winning the title is just amazing, and now getting to attend another sport. I just feel so happy right now.”
She also took to Instagram to share photos from her stadium visit, captioning them, “Kickin’ it @intermiamicf game with the ⚽️👑 @davidbeckham.” In the pictures, she’s seen posing with Beckham and proudly holding the jersey. She also met Antonela Roccuzzo, Lionel Messi’s wife, and watched the game alongside fellow Belarusian tennis player Andrei Vasilevski and local entrepreneur David Grutman.
This isn’t Sabalenka’s first time mingling with celebrities. After winning the 2023 Australian Open, her first Grand Slam, she attended the Vogue World event. Following her US Open success, she was spotted at New York Fashion Week in 2024. Sabalenka once remarked, “This is the dream life,” emphasizing how much she values the opportunities her tennis career provides to meet inspiring figures and learn from them.
Now, however, the focus shifts back to the court. The three-time Grand Slam champion is preparing for the clay season, stepping onto it for the first time as the world’s top-ranked player. Since 2022, the clay court season has largely been dominated by Iga Swiatek, who boasts five Grand Slam titles—four of them from Roland Garros. Sabalenka’s three major wins have all come on hard courts, with 28 combined victories at the Australian Open and the US Open, compared to 16 wins at Roland Garros and 11 at Wimbledon.
Although she’s not considered as strong on clay as Swiatek, Sabalenka is still a serious contender. She has reached seven clay finals and won two titles. Despite a 1-5 head-to-head record against Swiatek, she came extremely close in last year’s Madrid final, where she had match points.
Sabalenka is aware that she still needs to improve, but she’s confident heading into this crucial part of the season. “I think physically I’m ready to go,” she said. “Physically I’m strong, and I’m not rushing the point and I know I can stay in the point for how long I need. I think that’s the key, because I think I have got everything to be a good player on the clay courts.”
Her clay season begins at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart on April 14. With the confidence of her Miami win behind her, Sabalenka is determined to make an impact on the clay and challenge Swiatek’s dominance. The stage is set for an exciting battle between the two at the top of women’s tennis.