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5d ago

Sabalenka Saves Championship Point to Win First Indian Wells Title Over Rybakina

The world No. 1 ends a run of final defeats to her rival to capture a long-sought WTA 1000 trophy in the desert.

Mar 13, 2026; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Aryna Sabalenka (BEL) reacts after winning a point in her the semi final match defeating Linda Noskova (CZE) during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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Overview

  • Aryna Sabalenka defeated Elena Rybakina 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(6) in the BNP Paribas Open final, sealing the title in a deciding tiebreak.
  • She saved a championship point at 5-6 in the third-set tiebreak before closing out the match.
  • The victory delivers Sabalenka her first Indian Wells crown and the 23rd singles title of her career.
  • It breaks Rybakina’s recent run over her in title matches and avenges January’s Australian Open final loss.
  • Rybakina’s streak of consecutive wins over top-10 opponents ends, and she is set to rise to world No. 2 in the updated rankings.