Coffee Talk with 2026 Miami Open finalists Jessica Pegula and Aryna Sabalenka

MIAMI GARDENS  — Last year’s finalist Jessica Pegula and defending Miami Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, fresh off a sensational championship run at Indian Wells, met with the media Tuesday and tennis wasn’t the only subject matter.

Here are some fun notes from the session.

PEGULA GOES PUBLIX: It’s no secret that Pegula’s go-to quick lunch is a good old-fashioned Publix supermarket submarine sandwich. She even filmed a taste test on the Miami Open grounds.

“We actually might save it for Charleston [tournament],’’ No. 5 Pegula said Tuesday. “We ended up trying some of the food on site here instead and probably will release that at some point soon. But it was nice we were able to film inside here and just do like a food taste test.

“Being in Florida, obviously Publix is a pretty big staple, but in Charleston, it’s pretty much the same. Publix is big there, so I think we’re going to save it for that. We got to get someone to try who’s never had it because it’s so good.”

POWER TO WOMEN: It’s Women’s Empowerment Day at the Miami Open, and Pegula, one of the more vocal leaders on the WTA Tour, said it was an honor to represent strong women.

“We’ve shown as a sport, where we’re kind of leading the way as far as our athletes make the most [money] out of any female athletes in the world, and how our sport is just growing and growing, let alone all these other sports. It’s nice, and important to be part of the forefront of a lot of these other women’s sports with tennis, to keep acknowledging that and keep pushing for more and keep growing our sports. So, we have a day that kind of honors and celebrates that. It’s always a good day.”

RING POWER: Just before Indian Wells, world No. 1 Sabalenka became engaged to Brazilian businessman Georgios Frangulis. He founded Oakberry, an acai superfood brand found in 700 stores across more than 40 countries and at the Miami Open.

“Yes, of course,” Sabalenka joked about wearing her huge diamond ring on her right hand. “That’s the idea why I’m wearing it – whenever I need the extra power on my backhand, I’ll just change it. Definitely my forehand is more powerful right now.”

SABALENKA’S ENTOURAGE: “I need to count. I have a huge team. I have two coaches, fitness coach, hitting partner, manager, agents,’’ said Sabalenka, a Belarusian based in nearby Miami. “I have a statistic guy. I have a physio, of course. …no mental coach, my whole team is my mental coach, and I’m a coach for them. So that’s how we get stronger.

“Who else? Ash? [her new Cavalier King Charles Spaniel]. That’s my mental health support. So, let’s call him my mental coach. My fiancé is part of the team as well. Stringer also. Did I forget anyone? A chef at some tournaments. I have a huge team, but I feel like to be that consistent and to be that successful, you need a lot of people around you to help to manage a lot of things and to feel comfortable with.”

POWER KILLS: Pegula, who’s 5-foot-7, admitted that although she is probably the third best hard-court player on the Tour, she has struggled against the taller, more powerful women such as 5-11 Sabalenka and 6-0 Elena Rybakina, who she’s a combined 6-14 against.

“It’s been tough. I think a lot of the matches I’ve lost, you know, big matches, have been more or less to them or to Coco [Gauff] … I’ve done really well as far as improving my game and kind of knowing what I need to do. I think I’ve been playing a little bit more aggressive. I think I’ve been serving a lot better. Always kind of working on my movement and figuring out different strategies and plays that I think will work well against them.

“But they’re playing some amazing, amazing tennis, and I think rightfully right now they are the two best players in the world, just by their results and the matches that they’ve had flipping back and forth at big tournaments and finals.

“I’ve beaten them before, so it’s not like I feel like it’s impossible, but I do feel like they’re playing some really good tennis and they’re the people to beat. … Just being able to believe in that type of stuff when I’m playing them in big moments and big points is kind of the difference. But I’ve been right there and super close. It’s hard. They’re tall, big girls with big serves, and sometimes it’s a little frustrating for someone that’s not as tall. But I still think there’s a lot of stuff that I can do really well and keep improving to keep pushing them.”