The best of the Sunshine Double: The top matches from the past three years
Where would you rather be in the world in March than Indian Wells and Miami?
Spoiler Alert: nowhere.
While most of North America is still in wind-chill mode, the climate in Southern California and Southern Florida is delightful. Kissed by the sun, fans enjoy temperatures in the 70s and 80s and the unsurpassable pleasure of elite tennis action.
But for the players on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz, it can be a bit more challenging. The bi-coastal conditions could not be more different. After the thin air of the desert, fly 2,500 miles and deal with that heavy humidity in Miami.
The degree of difficulty in winning these back-to-back WTA 1000s is daunting. Only four women have done it: Steffi Graf (1994, 1996), Kim Clijsters (2005), Victoria Azarenka (2016) and, most recently, Iga Swiatek (2022).
In anticipation of the BNP Paribas Open (March 4-15) and the Miami Open (March 17-29), we revisit the past three years of the Sunshine Double.
2025
Indian Wells: Mirra Andreeva wins back-to-back WTA 1000s
-- The top storyline: After her breakthrough in Dubai, 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva doubles down and takes the BNP Paribas Open.
-- Notable match (final): Andreeva d. Aryna Sabalenka: 2–6, 6–4, 6–3
After dropping the opening set, Andreeva rallied to knock off the World No. 1 to become the youngest BNP Paribas Open champion since Serena Williams in 1999. “I tried to run like a rabbit today,” Andreeva said in her on-court interview. “Because Aryna was sending bullets. It was hard just to keep up.” Including her Dubai victory, Andreeva won her 12th consecutive match. Some context: Andreeva was the youngest player to defeat a World No. 1 in a WTA final since Maria Sharapova defeated Lindsay Davenport in Tokyo 2005. Andreeva, borrowing from Snoop Dogg, thanked herself after the win, a gesture she would repeat after winning the 2026 title in Adelaide.
Miami: Aryna Sabalenka wins her first Miami Open title
-- The top storyline: Sabalenka defeats Jessica Pegula for the third straight time in a final, extending her head-to-head record to 7-2.
-- Notable match (quarterfinal): Alex Eala d. Iga Swiatek: 6-2, 7-5
After losing the Indian Wells final to Mirra Andreeva, Sabalenka was motivated to win this title and she played like it, defeating defending champion Danielle Collins, Zheng Qinwen, Jasmine Paolini and, in the final, Pegula by a 7-5, 6-2 score. The last three wins all came against Top 10 players.
"Winning this trophy is super special," said Sabalenka. "I think I was able to completely forget about [it being] the final, about the outside things and I was just so focused on the game.”
This tournament will also be remembered as the coming-out party for Alexandra Eala, who defeated two former and one future Grand Slam champion to reach the semifinals. Eala, a 19-year-old wild card from the Philippines, beat Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys and Swiatek before falling to Jessica Pegula. Eala, who entered the event at No. 140, became the first Filipino player of either gender to break into the Top 100.
2024
Indian Wells: Iga Swiatek takes leg one of Sunshine Double
-- The top storyline: In a déjà vu final, Swiatek sweeps to her second IW title, defeating Maria Sakkari in the final
-- Notable match (second round): Aryna Sabalenka d. Peyton Stearns: 6–7 (2), 6–2, 7–6 (6)
Two years earlier, Swiatek had scored a 6-4, 6-1 win over Sakkari in the BNP Paribas final. This time, in an eerie Groundhog Day turn of events, Swiatek went one better, winning 6-4, 6-0. It was a notable win, for Swiatek became only the third woman to win her second Indian Wells title before turning 23, joining Serena Williams and Kim Clijsters. Sabalenka, who would fall to Emma Navarro in the Round of 16, saved four match points in a pulsating 3-hour match against Stearns.
Miami: Age (30) is no object for Danielle Collins
-- The top storyline: After announcing her farewell season at the Australian Open, Collins wins her first WTA 1000 title.
-- Notable match (third round): Iga Swiatek d. Linda Noskova: 6–7 (7), 6–4, 6–4
Collins, the 2014 and 2016 NCAA Division I singles champion, put together an unlikely but memorable run at the Miami Open. Ranked No. 53, Collins defeated Sorana Cirstea in the fourth round, Caroline Garcia in the quarterfinals and Ekaterina Alexandrova in the semifinals to set up the final opposite returning finalist Elena Rybakina.
Collins was a 7-5, 6-3 winner, saving 10 of 11 break points and becoming only the second unseeded woman to win the title after Kim Clijsters in 2005 and the oldest WTA 1000 winner since Elena Vesnina seven years earlier.
"What a dream come true to have played at the level that I have played consistently over the last two weeks," Collins said. "Thirty years old, this was my first 1000 [final], and it's been a different journey than I think a lot of the stories that we're familiar with.”
Swiatek, looking for the Sunshine Double, defeated Noskova in a wild Round of 32 match -- their third of the young season. Ekaterina Alexandrova ended her bid with a 6-4, 6-2 win in the fourth round.
2023
Indian Wells: Elena Rybakina collects first career WTA 1000 title
-- The top storyline: Iga Swiatek, winner of the elusive Sunshine Double champion in 2022, fell 6-2, 6-2 in the semifinals to Rybakina, who went on to defeat Aryna Sabalenka in the final.
-- Notable match (quarterfinal): Rybakina d. Karolina Muchova: 7–6 (4), 2–6, 6–4
The only time in six matches Rybakina was extended to a third set came in that quarterfinal against the unseeded Muchova, who saved two match points before Rybakina served it out. This 2-hour, 45-minute match was the pivot point for the 2022 Wimbledon champion, who went on to defeat No. 1 Swiatek and No. 2 Sabalenka. Rybakina hung on to win a rousing first-set tiebreak 13-11 against Sabalenka and eventually the match, 7-6 (11), 6-4 -- reversing the result of that year’s Australian Open final.
“Feels amazing,” said Rybakina. “It's been tough but really good two weeks for me here."
Miami: Petra Kvitova ends Rybakina’s bid for Sunshine Double
-- The top storyline: Elena Rybakina came within an eyelash of capturing the rare double -- can you believe a 16-14 tiebreak? -- and Kvitova took home her ninth career WTA 1000 title.
-- Notable match (final): Kvitova d. Rybakina: 7-6 (14), 6–2
Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon champion, came into the tournament as the No. 15 seed and had just celebrated her 33rd birthday. There had been signs of resurgence when she defeated No. 3 Jessica Pegula at Indian Wells, but in Miami she was fabulous, beating Top 20 players Donna Vekic and Ekaterina Alexandrova to reach the final.
That opening tiebreak required 22 minutes, and Kvitova bravely fought off five set points. In ending Rybakina’s 13-match win streak, Kvitova won her 30th career title.
“I think the experience today played a good role in my mind, to be honest,” Kvitova said afterward. “I played so many finals. I know I can play well in the final no matter who I’m facing.
"Yeah, of course this means a lot. The young ones are coming up all the time.”
It was the second-to-last career title for Kvitova, who left tennis at the end of the season to become a mother.