Sabalenka Edges Rybakina in Thrilling Indian Wells Final
Down a set and a break, Aryna Sabalenka summoned her fighting spirit to save match point and claim her first BNP Paribas Open title against Elena Rybakina, ending a painful finals streak on the hard courts of Tennis Paradise.
Under the glaring lights of Indian Wells, Aryna Sabalenka faced her toughest rival yet. Elena Rybakina, unbeaten in 16 matches this year, took the first set with clinical breaks and flat power that pinned the world No. 1 back. But Sabalenka, drawing on a season of close calls, flipped the script in a 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(6) battle that lasted two and a half hours, securing her 23rd WTA title and first at this WTA 1000 event after losses here in 2023 and 2025.
This victory avenged those defeats and snapped four straight final losses to Rybakina, including the 2025 WTA Finals in Riyadh and the 2026 Australian Open. It marked Sabalenka’s second trophy of 2026 after Brisbane and her 10th at the 1000 level, the first Indian Wells final since 2012 featuring two top-3 players. Her path forward now looks clearer as she heads to defend in Miami.
“Thank God I got this trophy,” Sabalenka said during the trophy presentation. “What a week. Getting a puppy, getting engaged and winning a title. I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.”
Frustration fuels the second-set surge
Rybakina dominated early, breaking at 4-2 in the first set with down-the-line backhands that skimmed the lines, her flat serves holding at love to close it 6-3. The Kazakh, incoming world No. 2, carried her 16-0 start into the second, breaking again right away as Sabalenka’s errors mounted and frustration showed in a quiet racquet tap at the bench.
That spark ignited her comeback. Sabalenka broke back at love, her heavy topspin forehands forcing Rybakina into lobs that sailed long, then held through four deuces with inside-out backhands and deep returns. The shift came as Rybakina targeted Sabalenka’s backhand more—44% of shots in the second set—yet a double fault at 3-1 handed the world No. 1 a free break, leveling the match.
WHAT A MATCH!!! 💪 (560)@SabalenkaA (560) is the 2026 Indian Wells Open Champion!#TennisParadise (560) pic.twitter.com/RN9gImPJA7
— wta (@WTA) (560)March 15, 2026
Third set tests unbreakable resolve
Both entered the decider with a .500 win rate in finals third sets, though Sabalenka had lost her last four to Rybakina, including Melbourne. She struck first at 2-1, reeling from 40-0 with backhand winners and a drop shot that barely cleared the net, showcasing the variety that disrupted Rybakina’s rhythm. Serves then took over, with 12 aces for Rybakina matching Sabalenka’s 10, both winning 65% of first-serve points in a string of holds.
Down 5-4, Rybakina broke to force 5-5 in a 12-minute game, saving five break points with flat crosscourt passes. Sabalenka held steady to reach the tiebreak, where the pressure peaked. At 6-5, on championship point, her crosscourt backhand winner—one of 29 on the day—erupted from the baseline, saving the match and swinging ends.
Personal joys cap a champion’s week
Sabalenka sealed the tiebreak with two more points, her roar cutting through the crowd’s roar as relief flooded her face. After her semifinal win over Linda Noskova, she had declared she was “so done” with losing high-level finals, alluding to her 1-4 record against Rybakina. This win improved her tour finals mark to 23-20 and added a 20th hard-court title, her 1–2 punch of serve and forehand proving decisive on the grippy surface.
Rybakina’s early edge faded as her forehands veered wide under return pressure, the three breaks each underscoring tactical battles—from flat serves to spin variations. Off court, welcoming a new puppy, Ash, and getting engaged to longtime boyfriend Georgios Frangulis framed the triumph in Tennis Paradise. As the tour turns to Miami, Sabalenka arrives unbreakable, her momentum building on this hard-fought escape.
