Aryna Sabalenka has joined an exclusive group by completing the Sunshine Double, but there is still a rare feat that she is yet to complete.
Sabalenka beat Coco Gauff to win the Miami Open, continuing her winning form after winning Indian Wells.
This means that Sabalenka is just the fifth woman in history to win Indian Wells and the Miami Open back-to-back, known as the Sunshine Double.
While Sabalenka completing the Sunshine Double is rare, there is actually another tennis achievement that is still yet to be completed by a WTA player.
No player has ever won back-to-back WTA 1000 tournaments in Canada and Cincinnati
Indian Wells and the Miami Open are not the only two WTA 1000 tournaments in North America, as there are also two later in the year.
Those events come just before the US Open at the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Open (previously the San Diego Open).
The San Diego Open/Cincinnati Open have been a WTA 1000 tournament since 2004, but no player has been able to win the title after lifting the Canadian Open during this period.
Aryna Sabalenka is now the — best women’s player of all time
Where are you ranking her?
Only three Canadian Open champions have gone on to reach the final of the Cincinnati Open, with Serena Williams doing so in 2013, Simona Halep in 2018 and Jessica Pegula in 2024.
Halep actually had a championship point against Kiki Bertens in the 2018 Cincinnati Open final, while Williams served for the match against Victoria Azarenka in the 2013 final.
Pegula is the most recent of those to come closest to making tennis history, but she was beaten in straight sets by Sabalenka in the 2024 Cincinnati Open final.
Teenager Victoria Mboko won the Canadian Open last year, but she did not play the Cincinnati Open.
| Year | Canadian Open champion | Their result in San Diego/Cincinnati |
| 2004 | Amelie Mauresmo | First Round |
| 2005 | Kim Clijsters | Quarterfinal |
| 2006 | Ana Ivanovic | Third Round |
| 2007 | Justine Henin | Did not play |
| 2009 | Elena Dementieva | Semifinal |
| 2010 | Caroline Wozniacki | Third Round |
| 2011 | Serena Williams | Second Round |
| 2012 | Petra Kvitova | Semifinal |
| 2013 | Serena Williams | Final |
| 2014 | Agnieszka Radwanska | Quarterfinal |
| 2015 | Belinda Bencic | Third Round |
| 2016 | Simona Halep | Semifinal |
| 2017 | Elina Svitolina | Third Round |
| 2018 | Simona Halep | Final |
| 2019 | Bianca Andreescu | Did not play |
| 2021 | Camila Giorgi | First Round |
| 2022 | Simona Halep | Second Round |
| 2023 | Jessica Pegula | Third Round |
| 2024 | Jessica Pegula | Final |
| 2025 | Victoria Mboko | Did not play |
How many ATP players have won the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open back-to-back?
While no woman has yet to win the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open back-to-back, four men have achieved this feat since the beginning of Masters 1000 tournaments in 1990.
The first of those was Andre Agassi in 1995, which was part of an incredible 26-match winning streak which ended when he lost in the US Open final to Pete Sampras.
Three years later, Australian Patrick Rafter joined Agassi after winning the only two Masters 1000 tournaments of his career.
Andy Roddick was the third player to achieve this feat in 2003, with Rafael Nadal completing the four player list in 2013.
Neither Roger Federer nor Novak Djokovic have been able to win the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open back-to-back, despite winning both tournaments on multiple occasions, but just in different years.
Ben Shelton won the Canadian Open last year, but he was beaten in the Cincinnati Open quarterfinals by Alexander Zverev.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
