Miami Open 2025: Aryna Sabalenka vs Elena-Gabriela Ruse preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick

Match Details

Fixture: (1) Aryna Sabalenka vs (Q) Elena-Gabriela Ruse

Date: March 22, 2025

Tournament: Miami Open 2025

Round: Third Round (Round of 32)

Venue: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida, US

Category: WTA 1000

Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt

Prize Money: $9,193,500

Live Telecast: US - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - DAZN

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Aryna Sabalenka vs Elena-Gabriela Ruse preview

In Picture : Aryna Sabalenka (Getty)

Top seed Aryna Sabalenka will look to keep her bid for a maiden Miami Open title on track when she takes on Romanian qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse in the third round. Sabalenka began the year strong, winning her 18th career title at the Brisbane International.

The Belarusian was in fine form at the Australian Open, dropping only one set en route to the final, where she came just short against Madison Keys in a three-set thriller. After an indifferent Middle-East swing, Sabalenka was back at her best at Indian Wells. She reached the final, blowing Keys 6-0,6-1 in the semifinal. However, in the final the top seed again fell short, this time losing to an inspired 17-year-old Mirra Anndreeva.

Being the top seed, Sabalenka received a bye in the opening round at the Miami Open. She began her campaign with a dominant 6-3, 6-0 win over Viktoriya Tomova.

Meanwhile, Elena-Gabriela Ruse had just one main draw victory in 2025 before the Miami Open. The Romanian reached the second round at the Australian Open, losing 6-7 (1), 6-2, 5-7 against eventual champion Madison Keys. At the Miami Open, Ruse began with a 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over Mirjam Bjorklund and a 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 against Ena Shibahara in the qualifiers to enter the main draw.

Ruse began her main-draw campaign with a 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-2 win over Brisbane finalist Polina Kudermetova. She kept up the momentum, winning 6-4, 6-4 against 29th seed Magdalena Frech in the second round.

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Aryna Sabalenka vs Elena-Gabriela Ruse head-to-head

This will be the first meeting between the two players on the Tour.

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Aryna Sabalenka vs Elena-Gabriela Ruse odds

Player Name	Moneyline	Handicap Bets	Total Games
Aryna Sabalenka	-2500	TBD	TBD
Elena-Gabriela Ruse	+950	TBD	TBD

(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)

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Aryna Sabalenka vs Elena-Gabriela Ruse prediction

Sabalenka looked in fine form against Tomova in the previous round. The Belarusian's return stats were excellent as she won 62 percent of the return points, breaking her opponent five times. However she looked a bit vulnerable on her serve, as she was broken twice in the first set.

Meanwhile, Ruse has reached only one hard-court final in her career, back in 2023 at the Transylvania Open, losing to Tamara Korpatsch. This is the first time the Romanian player has reached the third round of a WTA 1000 event.

Sabalenka should easily win this match and advance to the fourth round.

Pick- Sabalenka to win in straight sets