Sabalenka

Elena Rybakina claimed the first WTA 1000 title of her career at the BNP Paribas Open by defeating Aryna Sabalenka for the first time in five attempts.

Rybakina held all the momentum as she powered to a 5-2 lead in the second set. Another double fault by Sabalenka gave Rybakina a set point at 6-5, but Rybakina fired a backhand long on that chance, and the duo moved into a tiebreak. Rybakina rising: Rybakina had already shown off her sterling form in the semifinals with a straight-sets dismissal of Swiatek. Rybakina is now 6-0 in tiebreaks this season. Sabalenka halted: It is only Sabalenka’s second loss of the season, as she falls to 17-2 on the year. This time around, Rybakina gritted out the first-set tiebreak, then fended off a late second-set comeback by the World No.2 to grab her first win over Sabalenka. For just the third time this century, the Australian Open finalists met again in the Indian Wells final. Sabalenka will remain at World No.2. Sabalenka went on a brief hot streak, winning eight points in a row to get to 5-4, but Rybakina conjured up another unreturned serve on her first championship point to close out the win. By defeating Sabalenka as a follow-up, Rybakina became the first player to defeat the World No.1 and World No.2 at Indian Wells in the same year. Sabalenka was aiming to become the first player to win three titles in 2023, adding to her crowns at the Australian Open and Adelaide International 1. Elena Rybakina won her first title of the season, and the first WTA 1000 title of her career, at the BNP Paribas Open on Sunday.