INDIAN WELLS, California — Aryna Sabalenka has earned another opportunity to claim the title at the BNP Paribas Open after securing a semifinal victory against Linda Noskova with a score of 6-3, 6-4 on Friday. The top-seeded player from Belarus showcased her skills on Stadium Court 1, completing the match in 1 hour and 28 minutes.
Sabalenka, who has previously reached the finals at Indian Wells twice but has yet to win the title, will face her formidable opponent Elena Rybakina in the final on Sunday. Rybakina, who currently holds the third rank in the world, advanced by defeating ninth-ranked Elina Svitolina of Ukraine with a score of 7-5, 6-4 in the other semifinal match.
This year marks the second time Sabalenka and Rybakina will meet in a final, with their previous encounter being at the Australian Open earlier in 2026, where Sabalenka fell short. Given her previous experiences, Sabalenka is determined to turn the tide this time around. “I’ll make sure that I’m more than ready on Sunday, and I’ll bring my best tennis, make sure that this is the year,” she stated confidently.
With her win over Noskova, Sabalenka improved her season record to 12-1, continuing a strong performance that has seen her reach the semifinals in six consecutive WTA Tour events. Her only setback this year before the semifinal came against Rybakina in the quarterfinals of the Cincinnati tournament last August.
In her semifinal match, Sabalenka highlighted her serving prowess, successfully landing 38 of 58 first serves and recording an impressive 11 aces. “I would say that, yeah, serve was the biggest thing in this match,” she reflected. “I was trying to stay focused on my serve and try to put as much pressure on her serve. And lucky me, I got this win.”
Historically, Sabalenka has held the upper hand in her rivalry with Rybakina, winning eight out of their 15 encounters. However, she will need to overcome the challenge of having lost their previous two meetings.
On the other side, Rybakina’s semifinal against Svitolina was marked by her strong serving, winning 78% of her first serves. Svitolina struggled with her consistency, registering eight double faults in the match.
As anticipation builds for the final showdown, fans will be eager to see if Sabalenka can finally claim her long-sought title at Indian Wells or if Rybakina will continue her winning streak against the Belarusian.
