TIE-BREAKFAST - 03/29 Miami Open

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Ace Cream's daily newsletter during Masters 1000s and Grand Slams, every morning at 8:30.

Today is Sunday, March 29, in Miami it's 3:30 AM and it's 22 degrees. Alright, let's go.

On the menu today

• 🇧🇾 Sabalenka completes the Sunshine Double: Gauff beaten in three sets, fifth woman in history
• 🇮🇹 Bolelli and Vavassori win the doubles: first Masters 1000 together, and a dedication worth more than the trophy
• 🇮🇹 Errani and Paolini in the WTA doubles final: Mertens retires after three games, title match today
• 🇮🇹 Sinner vs Lehecka for the men's Sunshine Double: at 9 PM Italian time, the final that could make history

WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY:

🇧🇾 Sabalenka Completes The Sunshine Double

Aryna Sabalenka defeated Coco Gauff 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 in two hours and nine minutes in front of 16,380 spectators, the largest crowd for a WTA final in North America. Second consecutive title in Miami, twenty-fourth of her career, and the fifth woman in history to complete the Sunshine Double after Graf, Clijsters, Azarenka, and Swiatek.

The match had three distinct phases, and perhaps that's what makes it more interesting than the scoreline suggests. The first set slipped by without much of a contest, with Sabalenka striking with an almost overbearing confidence. Then Gauff found something, especially on serve, and the second set delivered a real match. Gauff's seven double faults, compared to Sabalenka's zero, told the story of a tension she couldn't quite manage, and Sabalenka closed it out with the calm of someone who knows the moment belongs to her. "Dog, engagement, Sunshine Double, it's surreal," she said afterward, and the feeling is that this version of Sabalenka is going through a phase where everything seems to be converging in the right direction.

🇮🇹 Bolelli And Vavassori Champions: First Masters 1000 Together

Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori defeated Heliovaara and Patten 6-4, 6-2 in one hour and twelve minutes, overturning a head-to-head record that stood at 1-5 in their opponents' favor. Ninth title as a pair, first at a Masters 1000, second of the season after Rotterdam.

The sporting achievement is remarkable, but what lingers from this day is probably something else entirely. Before the trophy ceremony, Bolelli wrote on the camera lens "Hang in there, Dad," dedicating the trophy to his father who is going through a difficult time. "I want to dedicate this victory to my parents, especially to my dad who is going through a very tough period," he explained. Bolelli, at forty, becomes the first Italian with twenty doubles titles in the Open Era, and the journey of this pair—who saved two match points in the first round only to win the tournament without dropping a set in their last four matches—speaks to a maturity that goes beyond the court.

🇮🇹 Errani And Paolini In The WTA Doubles Final

Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini reached the final after the retirement of Mertens and Zhang. The match lasted just three games: the Italian pair were leading 2-1 when Mertens clutched her chest, received medical assistance, and then retired.

A semifinal that leaves more concern than sporting satisfaction, and the images of Mertens leaving the court in visible distress marked the afternoon more than any result could. Errani and Paolini, top seeds and still unbeaten in sets in this tournament, will face Siniakova and Townsend, second seeds, for the title today.

WHAT'S ON TODAY:

• Errani/Paolini vs Siniakova/Townsend (12:30 local, 6:30 PM Italian time) — WTA Doubles Final. The Italian pair, top seeds, haven't dropped a set in the tournament. Siniakova brings a doubles pedigree that few can match, and Townsend in front of the home crowd will add an extra element. A proper final.
• Sinner vs Lehecka (not before 3:00 PM local, 9:00 PM Italian time) — ATP Singles Final. Sinner is chasing the Sunshine Double, a feat last achieved by Federer in 2017. The head-to-head reads 3-0, with Lehecka never having won a set, but the Czech arrives in Miami without having been broken in the entire tournament—the first player to do so in a Masters 1000 final since Djokovic at Shanghai 2018. A clash between Sinner's total solidity and the best version of Lehecka we've seen yet.

Further reading

• Sabalenka wins Miami title to become first to complete Sunshine Double since 2022
• Bolelli/Vavassori clinch maiden Masters 1000 crown in Miami
• Bolelli: "Hang in there, Dad. He's going through a tough time." The Italians celebrate in Miami
• Preview: Jannik Sinner eyes 'Sunshine Double' as Jiri Lehecka looms in Miami final
• How to watch Errani/Paolini vs Siniakova/Townsend, WTA Miami 2026: schedule and streaming

Enjoy your breakfast and have a great day.

See you tomorrow at 08:30 with TIE-Breakfast