Her victory over world No. 1 Elena Rybakina was revenge for losing to the Kazakhstan in the 2026 Australian Open final.
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Published March 16, 2026
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka finally conquered her Indian Wells demons on Sunday, defeating Elena Rybakina 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (6) in a breathtaking final to win her first desert title and the 23rd crown of her career.
The victory was sweet redemption for the Belarusian, who lost her previous two Indian Wells finals, including against Rybakina in 2023, and started the year losing to the 26-year-old from Kazakhstan in January’s Australian Open final.
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Rybakina, a two-time Grand Slam champion, dominated the early exchanges of the first set, breaking Sabalenka to take a 4-2 lead and capitalizing on the Belarusian’s backhand to close out the set. This was the first time Sabalenka had dropped a set in this tournament.
The second set did not get off to a comfortable start, with Sabalenka screaming when Rybakina broke in the first game. However, the four-time Grand Slam champion from Belarus responded with a love hold to tie the score at 1-1 and gradually turn the tide.
A second break in the fourth game gave Sabalenka a commanding 4-1 lead, and despite Rybakina’s push, she won the set with four aces, proving the Belarusian’s fierceness with nine unforced errors to Rybakina’s 13.
The final was a match in itself. Sabalenka broke early to take a 3-1 lead, but Rybakina rallied to tie the score at 5-5 and take the lead for the first time in the set. Sabalenka reacted immediately to force a tiebreak, with the score reaching 6-6, before she cleared for an 8-6 victory.
This final point brought Sabalenka to her knees. It was a sense of relief for the champion who had waited for three years and endured three finals to finally get his hands on the trophy.
“I want to congratulate Jelena. We will face each other many times in the future,” Sabalenka said before accepting the trophy. “Thank you to everyone who made this tournament possible. This is truly a tennis paradise. I’m always happy to come here every year. Thank God I got this trophy.”
The win capped off a special week for the 27-year-old, who arrived in the Coachella Valley having recently become engaged to her Brazilian fiancé, Georgios Frangulis.
“This is a dream come true. I want to thank my team and my fiancé for always being there. It was an amazing week! We got a puppy, got engaged, and won a title. I’ll remember it forever,” she added.
Sabalenka currently has the upper hand, leading 9-7, as their rivalry will define the women’s game for years to come. The two players are separated by one place in the rankings, and Rybakina’s advance to the final will move her to second place in next week’s rankings.
