Mexico City, 27 March (H.S.):

American star Coco Gauff has powered her way into the final of the Miami Open 2026 after a ruthless straight‑sets victory over Czech player Karolina Muchova in Thursday’s semi‑final. The world No. 4 Gauff brushed aside Muchova 6‑1, 6‑1, underlining her status as one of the favourites for the tournament title.

Gauff’s start was slightly shaky, as Muchova broke early to take the first game and seize an initial lead. But the American quickly turned the tide, breaking back to level the score and then rolling through the first set with a string of consecutive games, closing it out in emphatic fashion. In the second set, Muchova struggled to establish any rhythm, committing several unforced errors that Gauff punished with precision and aggression. The American broke Muchova’s serve three times in the second set, sealing the match comfortably and extending her head‑to‑head record against the Czech player to a perfect 6‑0.

Muchova had arrived at the Miami semi‑final in strong form, coming off a title win in Doha earlier in the season and a quarter‑final win over Victoria Mboko, but she was unable to match Gauff’s intensity on the day. The Czech put up little resistance under pressure, and Gauff’s relentless returning and first‑strike groundstrokes kept her firmly on the back foot throughout the contest.

In the final, Gauff will now face world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, setting up a high‑quality showdown between two of the WTA Tour’s most powerful baseline players. With the Miami Open 2026 trophy on the line, the final promises a clash of pace, power and temperament as both players look to add another big title to their resume.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar