Elena Rybakina came agonisingly close to another title at the Indian Wells Open but ended up on the losing side after a gripping three-set battle against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the women’s singles final on Sunday.
Rybakina went down 6-3, 3-6, 6-7 (6) in a high-quality contest played in sweltering conditions, with temperatures soaring into the 90s during the afternoon showdown.
The Kazakh started strongly, taking the opening set with her powerful baseline game, but Sabalenka fought back to level the match and force a decider. The final set turned into a tense battle of nerves, with Rybakina breaking Sabalenka when the Belarusian served for the match at 5-4 to keep her hopes alive.
The drama intensified in the tie-break when Rybakina earned a championship point, putting herself within touching distance of the trophy she had previously won in 2023. However, Sabalenka saved it with a backhand winner before eventually closing out the match with a big serve that Rybakina sent long.
“It was a very difficult match,” Rybakina said while congratulating Sabalenka after the final.
The match was the 16th meeting between the two rivals, with Sabalenka now leading the head-to-head 9-7. Rybakina had enjoyed success against the Belarusian in recent encounters, including victories in the 2025 WTA Finals championship and at the Australian Open earlier this year.
Sabalenka, who had finished runner-up at Indian Wells in 2023 and 2025, finally captured her first title at the prestigious desert tournament.
“I think the whole idea going into this match was to be mentally strong, to stay strong no matter what,” Sabalenka said in a post-match interview with Tennis Channel.
While the defeat was a narrow one for Rybakina, there will be little time to dwell on it as the tour moves quickly to the next stop at the Miami Open, where Sabalenka will be the defending champion.
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