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Aryna Sabalenka Advances to Indian Wells Final, Faces Rybakina

3/15/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Aryna Sabalenka, the top-ranked Belarusian, defeated Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-4 in the semifinals to reach the Indian Wells final.
She will face Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, ranked third, in a final rematching their Australian Open clash.
Sabalenka has a 12-1 record in 2026 and aims to break her 0-2 Indian Wells finals record.
Elena Rybakina beat ninth-ranked Elina Svitolina 7-5, 6-4 in the semifinals.
The final is set for Sunday.

History

Historical Context

The Indian Wells Tennis Tournament, a premier event in California, was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, disrupting the ATP and WTA tours with over 1,000 matches postponed. The tournament returned in October 2021, marking a significant recovery for tennis, as Paula Badosa and Cameron Norrie claimed their first WTA and ATP Masters 1000 titles, respectively, highlighting the sport's resilience.

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Story summary

Aryna Sabalenka, the top-ranked Belarusian, defeated Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-4 in the semifinals to reach the Indian Wells final.
She will face Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, ranked third, in a final rematching their Australian Open clash.
Sabalenka has a 12-1 record in 2026 and aims to break her 0-2 Indian Wells finals record.
Elena Rybakina beat ninth-ranked Elina Svitolina 7-5, 6-4 in the semifinals.
The final is set for Sunday.

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