Aryna Sabalenka recovered from a set and a break down before saving a match point against Elena Rybakina to win her 10th WTA 1000 title and her first at Indian Wells.
The four-time Grand Slam champion overcame some emphatic play from Rybakina to seal a gut-busting 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(6) win in the blistering heat. Sabalenka’s triumph is sweet revenge for the Belarusian, who lost to Rybakina earlier this year at the Australian Open, as well as the WTA Finals last November. She has ended her opponent’s run of 12 consecutive wins over top 10 players on the Tour.
Sabalenka is the second woman from her country to win Indian Wells after Victoria Azarenka, who won twice in 2012 and 2016.
“I feel super, super happy,” Sabalenka told Sky Sports afterwards.
“I’m still unhappy with a couple of things in the match. I felt like I could have closed this match earlier, but she (Rybakina) returned really well today and put me under so much pressure.
“I’m just happy that in the last three points of the match, I was able to pull out everything I had left there and get the win.”
In what was the first Indian Wells final between two players currently ranked in the world’s top three since 2012, it was Rybakina who first drew blood six games into the match. Applying pressure onto Sabalenka, the world No.1 hit back-to-back backhand unforced errors to hand the Kazakh a break for 4-2. In the following game, Rybakina extended her lead by producing a love service game before going on to clinch the opener, which ended with Sabalenka hitting her 15th unforced error.
The top seed was clearly frustrated with her performance on the court as she let out a big roar of anger just two points into the second frame before getting broken yet again after hitting a double fault. She then smashed her racket on the ground by her chair. In the past, Sabalenka has lost big matches after letting her emotions get the better of her, and she was in danger of doing so again in the Californian desert.
However, Sabalenka’s outburst paved the way for a turning point in the final. Channelling her anger into her shotmaking, she responded by winning four straight games to revive her title chances before forcing proceedings into a decider.
Continuing to turn her fortunes around, Sabalenka moved into the lead by hitting a deep return shot against Rybakina’s serve to break for 2-1 in the final set. Closing in on the title, she then saved back-to-back break points when down 15-40 at 4-3 to move to a game from glory before another twist unfolded.
Serving for the trophy at 5-4, Sabalenka’s first serve fell apart, which enabled Rybakina to draw level. The reigning Australian Open champion gave all she had on court, saving five break points to move ahead 6-5. Then in the tiebreaker, Rybakina worked her way to championship point but failed to convert after Sabalenka fired a thunderous backhand cross-court winner.
Eventually, Sabalenka clinched the title after two hours and 34 minutes of play by firing a serve down the middle of the court that her rival returned out.
“It was stressful, but I’m glad that even after that game (serving at 5-4), I was able to be focused, calm and think clearly about what I had to do. To get into the tie-break and get the win,” said Sabalebka.
Sabalenka joins Serena Williams, Iga Swiatek and Azarenka as the only women to win 10 or more WTA 1000 title since the series was introduced in 2009.
