INDIAN WELLS, California: World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka beat Elena Rybakina 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (6) in the Indian Wells final Sunday for her first title at the California desert tournament.
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Sabalenka, a runner-up in 2023 and ‘25, finished off the win at the BNP Paribas Open with a big serve that Rybakina hit long. It was a sweltering afternoon on the court as the temperatures soared into the 90s.
The 27-year-old Sabalenka had a chance to close out the third set but was broken at 5-4. Rybakina found herself with a championship point in the tiebreaker, only to have Sabalenka hit a backhand winner.
Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, returns to Elena Rybakina, of Kazakhstan, during a final match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament Sunday, March 15, 2026, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP)
