Aryna Sabalenka stormed past Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-4 on Friday to book her place in the Indian Wells final, where she will face Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina.
The matchup renews one of the fiercest rivalries in women’s tennis, with Rybakina also defeating Sabalenka in last year’s Indian Wells final.
Sabalenka delivered a commanding performance, firing 37 winners and 11 aces. She broke Noskova twice in the opening set, racing to a 5-1 lead before closing it out with an ace. In the second set, she broke early again and sealed victory with a forehand winner on her third match point. “I think I really played great tennis,” Sabalenka said after the match.
Rybakina overcame Elina Svitolina 7-5, 6-4 in her semifinal. The Kazakh star recovered from an early break in the first set, winning seven straight games to take control. She broke Svitolina twice in the second set and held firm despite a late rally from the Ukrainian. The win marked Rybakina’s 12th consecutive victory over top-10 opponents, underlining her dominance.
The final promises high drama as Sabalenka seeks her first Indian Wells crown after two previous runner-up finishes, while Rybakina aims to defend her title and extend her winning streak. Their head-to-head record stands at 8-7 in Sabalenka’s favor, but Rybakina has won their last two meetings, including the Australian Open final earlier this year.
