Sunshine Stories March 2, 2019

Miami and Indian Wells: Sunshine Double champions

The Sunshine Double - singles title runs at both Indian Wells and Miami in the same year - has only been completed four times in WTA history.

When Stefanie Graf won Indian Wells in 1994 without dropping a set, the tournament was still a 32-player Tier II - but her run still included a 6-0, 6-0 win over Tracy Austin in round two and a 6-0, 6-4 defeat of Amanda Coetzer in the final (Getty) — 01 /08

When Stefanie Graf won Indian Wells in 1994 without dropping a set, the tournament was still a 32-player Tier II - but her run still included a 6-0, 6-0 win over Tracy Austin in round two and a 6-0, 6-4 defeat of Amanda Coetzer in the final (Getty)

Graf's title run at Miami 1994 was nearly as dominant as the German beat Kimiko Date 6-1, 6-1, Lindsay Davenport 6-0, 7-6(3) and Natasha Zvereva 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 in the final three rounds (Getty) — 02 /08

Graf's title run at Miami 1994 was nearly as dominant as the German beat Kimiko Date 6-1, 6-1, Lindsay Davenport 6-0, 7-6(3) and Natasha Zvereva 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 in the final three rounds (Getty)

In 1996, the State Farm Evert Cup upgraded to Tier I status and a 96-player draw, but Graf was equal to the task again, beating Conchita Martínez 7-6(5), 7-6(5) in the final (Getty) — 03 /08

In 1996, the State Farm Evert Cup upgraded to Tier I status and a 96-player draw, but Graf was equal to the task again, beating Conchita Martínez 7-6(5), 7-6(5) in the final (Getty)

Graf powered through the 1996 Lipton Championships draw without dropping a set; only Kimiko Date took her to a tiebreak in the quarterfinals, and the final was a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Chanda Rubin (Getty) — 04 /08

Graf powered through the 1996 Lipton Championships draw without dropping a set; only Kimiko Date took her to a tiebreak in the quarterfinals, and the final was a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Chanda Rubin (Getty)

Kim Clijsters became the lowest-ranked Tier I champion ever at the 2005 Pacific Life Open: ranked World No.133 and playing the third tournament of her comeback from a wrist injury, the Belgian defeated Lindsay Davenport 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in the final (Getty) — 05 /08

Kim Clijsters became the lowest-ranked Tier I champion ever at the 2005 Pacific Life Open: ranked World No.133 and playing the third tournament of her comeback from a wrist injury, the Belgian defeated Lindsay Davenport 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in the final (Getty)

Astonishingly, despite being unseeded - and without a bye - at both Indian Wells and Miami, Clijsters powered through the Miami draw without dropping a set, beating Maria Sharapova 6-3, 7-5 in the final to complete her 12th win of the month (Getty) — 06 /08

Astonishingly, despite being unseeded - and without a bye - at both Indian Wells and Miami, Clijsters powered through the Miami draw without dropping a set, beating Maria Sharapova 6-3, 7-5 in the final to complete her 12th win of the month (Getty)

2016 would see another career relaunch as Victoria Azarenka, having battled injuries for the past two years, beat Serena Williams 6-4, 6-4 in the final to return to the Top 10 for the first time since 2014 (Getty) — 07 /08

2016 would see another career relaunch as Victoria Azarenka, having battled injuries for the past two years, beat Serena Williams 6-4, 6-4 in the final to return to the Top 10 for the first time since 2014 (Getty)

Just as Clijsters had done, Azarenka backed up Indian Wells with a Miami title run without losing a set, including a brilliant 7-6(6), 7-6(4) fourth-round win over Garbiñe Muguruza and a 6-3, 6-2 defeat of Svetlana Kuznetsova in the final (Getty) — 08 /08

Just as Clijsters had done, Azarenka backed up Indian Wells with a Miami title run without losing a set, including a brilliant 7-6(6), 7-6(4) fourth-round win over Garbiñe Muguruza and a 6-3, 6-2 defeat of Svetlana Kuznetsova in the final (Getty)