Aryna Sabalenka Wins Her First WTA-1000 Tournament in Indian Wells

On March 15, the world number one tennis player defeated Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina, ranked third, in the final match – 3:6, 6:3, 7:6 (8:6). This was Sabalenka's third Indian Wells final – she lost to Rybakina in 2023, and a year ago, to Russian tennis player Mirra Andreeva. The winner of today's match earned over $1.1 million, while the loser will receive $612,300.

On her way to the final, Sabalenka defeated Japanese Hineme Sakatsume (ranked 132nd in the world) 6:4, 6:2, Romanian Jacqueline Cristian (35) 6:4, 6:1, Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka (16) 6:2, 6:4, Canadian Victoria Mboko (10) 7:6 (7:0), 6:4, and Czech Linda Noskova (14) 6:3, 6:4.

Belarusian Victoria Azarenka won the Indian Wells tournament in 2012 and 2016.