In Saturday’s Miami Open women’s singles final, Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula will square off, with both women hoping to win their first WTA 1000 championship.
We take a look back at the five WTA greats who have advanced to the most finals in the Miami Open, ahead of the first Miami Open final for both genders.
With three championships and four final appearances overall, Venus is among the most successful players in Miami Open history.
In 1998, the American advanced to her maiden final by defeating Anna Kournikova 2-4, 6-4, 6-1. A year later, she defeated her sister Serena 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 to successfully defend her title.
The former world No. 1 made a comeback to the final in 2001 after missing the tournament in 2000, defeating her countrywoman Jennifer Capriati 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(4) to win her third title.
Nearly ten years later, Venus advanced to her fourth final, although she lost to Kim Clijsters 6-2, 6-1 in 2010.
Only two women have surpassed former world No. 1 Sharapova’s record of five Miami Open final appearances, but the Russian, shockingly, was never able to win the title in Florida.
Similar to Sharapova, tennis legend Evert made it to five finals and had a losing record overall, while winning the trophy once.
Evert lost to Martina Navratilova 6-2, 6-4 in the first final in 1985, but the following year she won the title in her home state by defeating Steffi Graf 6-4, 6-2.
But Graf defeated the American in the 1987 and 1988 finals, losing to her fellow tennis legend 6-1, 6-2, and 6-4, 6-4, respectively.
