WTA World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka defeated Elena Rybakina at the Indian Wells final, winning 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(6), a final that Rybakina described as a "Russian roulette", decided in a tie-break with Sabalenka only winning by two points.
Winning Indian Wells was one of Sabalenka's greatest unfinished business, and she redeemed herself as well as breaking Rybakina's 12 winning match streak against top 10 players. Sabalenka had lost the 2025 final to Mirra Andreeva and, in 2023, she also lost the final to Rybakina.
Rybakina also defeated Sabalenka in their last two encounters in Melbourne in January and Riyadh in November 2025. "There was a lot of equality, especially in the third set. It was like a game of Russian roulette; I don't think either of us did anything extraordinary to outshine the other and win", Rybakina said, shaken after her defeat
26-year-old Kazakhstani player Rybakina, who won Australian Open last January, her second Grand Slam, has climbed to World No. 2, surpassing Iga Swiatek in the ranking.