Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula are set to compete in Saturday’s Miami Open women’s singles final, with both players aiming for their first WTA 1000 title at this prestigious event.
As they prepare for their debut final in Miami, let’s take a look at five legendary women who have made the most appearances in the tournament’s championship match.
5) Venus Williams – Four Finals
Venus Williams is among the most accomplished players in Miami Open history, having won three titles and reached four finals in total.
Her first final appearance came in 1998, where she defeated Anna Kournikova 2-4, 6-4, 6-1. She returned the following year and successfully defended her title with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 victory over her sister, Serena Williams.
After skipping the tournament in 2000, the former world No. 1 made a comeback in 2001, capturing her third title with a 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(4) win over fellow American Jennifer Capriati.
Nearly a decade later, Venus reached her fourth final in 2010 but was defeated 6-2, 6-1 by Kim Clijsters.
4) Maria Sharapova – Five Finals
Former world No. 1 Maria Sharapova appeared in five Miami Open finals—outdone by only two players—but surprisingly never managed to claim the title in Florida.
Her first final in 2005 ended in a 6-3, 7-5 loss to Clijsters. The following year, she fell to fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 6-3.
Sharapova reached the final again in 2011 but was defeated 6-1, 6-4 by Victoria Azarenka. In 2012, she lost 7-5, 6-4 to Agnieszka Radwanska, and in 2013, she was overpowered by Serena Williams 4-6, 6-3, 6-0.
Despite winning all four Grand Slam titles and the WTA Finals, the Miami Open remained one of the biggest trophies that eluded her.
3) Chris Evert – Five Finals
Similar to Sharapova, tennis icon Chris Evert reached five Miami Open finals but won only one of them.
Evert lost the inaugural Miami Open final in 1985 to Martina Navratilova, 6-2, 6-4. However, she bounced back the following year to claim victory over Steffi Graf, 6-4, 6-2, in her home state.
Her next two finals, in 1987 and 1988, saw her suffer consecutive defeats to Graf—6-1, 6-2 and 6-4, 6-4, respectively.
Evert made it to a fifth straight final in 1989 but fell short against Gabriela Sabatini, losing 6-1, 4-6, 6-2.
2) Steffi Graf – Seven Finals
A tennis legend with 22 Grand Slam titles, Steffi Graf was a dominant force at the Miami Open, winning five titles and reaching two additional finals.
At just 16 years old, Graf was beaten by Evert in her first final in 1986. However, she avenged that loss by defeating Evert in back-to-back finals in 1987 and 1988.
Graf reached the final again in 1993 but was edged out by Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. She reclaimed her title the following year, overcoming Natasha Zvereva 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.
She went on to win three consecutive titles, defeating Kimiko Date 6-1, 6-4 in 1995 and Chanda Rubin 6-1, 6-3 in 1996.
1) Serena Williams – 10 Finals
Serena Williams holds the record for the most Miami Open titles in women’s singles, with eight championships from an astonishing 10 final appearances.
Her first final in 1999 ended in a loss to her sister Venus, but she claimed her first title in 2002 by defeating Capriati 7-6, 7-6(4). She successfully defended her title in 2003 with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 win.
Serena completed a Miami three-peat in 2004 by overwhelming Elena Dementieva 6-1, 6-1. She won again in 2007, staging an incredible comeback against Justine Henin, 0-6, 7-5, 6-3.
The following year, she successfully defended her title, edging Jelena Jankovic 6-1, 5-7, 6-3 in the final. However, she fell short in 2009, losing 6-3, 6-1 to Azarenka.
In 2013, Serena claimed another title with a three-set victory over Sharapova. She followed up with another championship in 2014, beating Li Na 7-5, 6-1.
Her 10th and final Miami Open final appearance came in 2015, where she dominated C
arla Suárez Navarro 6-2, 6-0 to secure her eighth title.
