Aryna Sabalenka saved match point as she earned revenge over Elena Rybakina to win the Indian Wells title for the first time.
Sabalenka suffered a defeat to Rybakina in the final of the Australian Open just six weeks ago, which continued a pattern of tough losses in major finals for the World No 1.
But the four-time grand slam winner battled from behind to beat Rybakina 3-6 6-3 7-6 (8-6) in two-and-a-half hours in the California desert, holding firm in the match tiebreak.
Sabalenka’s struggles in major finals looked to be continuing, though, after Rybakina broke her big-hitting rival when she served for the match at 5-4 in the deciding set.
In boiling conditions, Rybakina then led 6-5 in the tiebreak, but Sabalenka saved the championship point with a scorching backhand winner before going on to win the title.
Sabalenka had lost her two previous appearances in the Indian Wells final, to Rybakina in 2023 and then Mirra Andreeva last season, but her title capped a memorable fortnight.
Playing in her first tournament since the Australian Open, Sabalenka arrived at Indian Wells having announced her engagement to Brazilian businessman Georgios Frangulis.
The 27-year-old also celebrated her title with her new puppy, Ash, who joined Sabalenka on the court before she lifted the Indian Wells trophy for the first time.
“What a week! Getting a puppy, getting engaged and winning a title,” Sabalenka said. “I will definitely remember it for the rest of my life.”
Rybakina had won her two previous finals against Sabalenka, with the Australian Open defeat following another at last season’s WTA Finals, and it was clear how much this meant.
“I feel super, super happy,” Sabalenka told Sky Sports. “Of course, I'm still unhappy with a couple of things in the match.
”I felt like I could have closed this match earlier, but she returned really well today and put me under so much pressure.
”Just happy that in the last three points of the match I was able to pull out everything I had and got the win.”
