Aryna Sabalenka halted her run of defeats to Elena Rybakina in a dramatic Indian Wells showdown on Sunday.
The top‑ranked player had previously bested Rybakina to claim her first Grand Slam crown at the 2023 Australian Open, yet she had since fallen in four consecutive finals against the Kazakh, including the WTA Finals last year and the Melbourne event in January.
Following her semi‑final win at the tournament, Sabalenka remarked that she was “completely fed up” with dropping major finals, and she rescued a match point in the final tiebreak to prevail 3‑6, 6‑3, 7‑6.
After sharing a court celebration with her fiancé and newly adopted puppy, Sabalenka described the week as unforgettable.
“What a week – a new puppy, an engagement and a title. I’ll cherish this for the rest of my life,” she said.
Rybakina entered the match on a 12‑match streak against top‑10 rivals and appeared to dominate early, leading by a set and a break. Sabalenka, who also suffered two Grand Slam final losses last season, slammed her racket in frustration before rallying to claim four straight games in the second set and weathering late pressure to push the contest to a third set.
The encounter turned into a power‑tennis duel, with Sabalenka breaking first in the third set’s third game. Yet Rybakina’s intensity grew, and Sabalenka could not close out the match when she led 5‑4.
When her opponent – poised to overtake Iga Świątek for the world No 2 spot on Monday for the first time – saved five break points in the following game, Sabalenka likely sensed the danger.
Nevertheless, she kept her composure, calmly saving a match point at 5‑6 in the tiebreak with a series of heavy backhands and clinching her inaugural title.
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