Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina and Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka are set for a rematch of the 2023 BNP Paribas Open final after both earned semifinal wins on Friday in Indian Wells, Calif.
Rybakina, the third seed this year and the 2023 champion, defeated ninth-seeded Elina Svitolina of Ukraine 7-5, 6-4 on Friday. Sabalenka, the top seed in 2026 and the losing finalist in 2023 and 2025, downed 14th-seeded Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-4.
The Sunday contest is also a rerun of the 2026 Australian Open final, which Rybakina won 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. Sabalenka has won eight of the pair’s 15 meetings, but Rybakina is riding a streak of 12 consecutive wins over top-10 opposition.
Sabalenka is ready to make the final step in Indian Wells after finishing as runner-up to Rybakina three years ago and to Russia’s Mirra Andreeva last year.
“I’m so done of losing these big finals,” Sabalenka said. “It felt like even though players were playing incredible tennis in those finals, I feel like I had so many opportunities that I didn’t use.
“Right now, my mentality … I’ll go out there and, you know, I’ll do everything I can and everything I cannot to get that trophy.”
Sabalenka said of Rybakina, “She’s an incredible player. All of the matches we played against each other, it’s always been, like, really tough battles. It’s always been a show and a great level. … I’m super excited.”
Sabalenka finished with an 11-5 edge in aces against Noskova, who had six double faults to the Belarusian’s two.
After Sabalenka needed two service games to close out the first set, she broke Noskova’s serve to open the second set. Both players held serve the rest of the way, with Sabalenka saving a break point to go up 5-3.
Rybankina and Svitolina had 11 and nine break chances respectively, but the most recent Grand Slam winner took advantage on four occasions to the Ukrainian’s two.
With the first set knotted at 5-5, Rybakina broke Svitolina in a 15-point eleventh game and held to take the lead. She raced to a 5-1 second set advantage, faltered at 5-3, but needed only five points to put away the match.
–Field Level Media
