The world number one’s victory over Elena Rybakina avenged her defeat to the Kazakh in the 2026 Australian Open final.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka finally ended her struggles at Indian Wells Open on Sunday, defeating Elena Rybakina 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(6) in a thrilling final to win the desert title for the first time and capture the 23rd trophy of her career.
The triumph marked sweet revenge for the Belarusian, who had lost her previous two Indian Wells finals — including one to Rybakina in 2023 — and had also fallen to the Kazakh in the final of the Australian Open earlier this January.
Elena Rybakina, a two-time Grand Slam champion, controlled the early stages of the opening set, breaking Aryna Sabalenka to move ahead 4-2 while targeting the Belarusian’s backhand to seal the set. It marked the first set Sabalenka had lost during the tournament.
The second set also began shakily for Sabalenka, who let out a loud yell after Rybakina broke her serve in the opening game. However, the four-time Grand Slam champion quickly regrouped, holding serve to love to level the score at 1-1 and slowly shifting the momentum in her favor.
Sabalenka secured another break in the fourth game to take a strong 4-1 advantage. Although Rybakina attempted to fight back, the Belarusian’s relentless intensity proved decisive as she claimed the set, firing four aces while committing nine unforced errors compared to Rybakina’s 13.
The deciding set turned into a battle of its own. Aryna Sabalenka broke early to move 3-1 ahead, but Elena Rybakina fought back to level the score at 5-5 and briefly take the lead for the first time in the set. Sabalenka quickly answered to push the match into a tiebreak, where it remained locked at 6-6 before she edged ahead to win it 8-6.
The deciding set turned into a battle of its own. Aryna Sabalenka broke early to move 3-1 ahead, but Elena Rybakina fought back to level the score at 5-5 and briefly take the lead for the first time in the set. Sabalenka quickly answered to push the match into a tiebreak, where it remained locked at 6-6 before she edged ahead to win it 8-6.
With their rivalry expected to shape the women’s game for years to come, Aryna Sabalenka now holds a slight advantage with a 9–7 head-to-head lead over Elena Rybakina. The two are separated by just one spot in the rankings, and Rybakina’s run to the final will see her rise to world number two in next week’s standings.
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