“I see a future Grand Slam champion”: Aryna Sabalenka praises Mboko after Indian Wells clash

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka continues to underline her consistency on the WTA Tour, reaching her sixth consecutive semifinal after defeating Victoria Mboko 7-6(0), 6-4 in the BNP Paribas Open quarterfinals. The Belarusian saved all five break points she faced in the match and once again delivered in the key moments that often decide tight contests at the highest level.

The victory keeps Sabalenka’s pursuit of a first Indian Wells title alive after finishing runner-up in both 2023 and 2025. Despite the straight-sets scoreline, the match proved competitive, particularly during the opening set where Mboko pushed the World No. 1 through extended baseline exchanges before the contest was ultimately decided in the tie-break.

After the match, Sabalenka described the encounter as a demanding test and expressed satisfaction with how she handled the decisive moments in each set. “Yeah, it was a tough battle today," said the 4-time Grand Slam champion during press conference. "Super happy with the performance. Happy the level I played on those key moments in each set, and of course happy to be through this difficult round.”

Sabalenka explained that her ability to remain focused under pressure comes from maintaining a simple approach during tight situations rather than overthinking the stage of the match. “I'm not really thinking about the record that I have. I just try to play point by point, trying to stick to the game plan and stay aggressive, and then basically take it one step at a time.”

The opening-set tie-break proved decisive in the quarterfinal, with Sabalenka dominating it 7-0 through a combination of aggressive returning and powerful serving. It was another example of the Belarusian’s ability to elevate her level in high-pressure moments.

Asked whether past success in tie-breaks allows her to approach them with greater confidence, Sabalenka said she deliberately avoids relaxing in those situations, believing that comfort can quickly lead to mistakes. “Not really. I feel like the moment I will feel relaxed, I will definitely start losing. So I felt like that's why I have been really successful in those tiebreaks, because I take it really serious.”

She added that her approach remains consistent regardless of the scoreline, focusing on aggressive play rather than adapting her mindset because of the situation. “I'm not focusing on the past. I'm just trying to take it once again one point at a time. I'm aggressive. I'm not thinking about this is tiebreak. I'm just focusing on my game, and I think that's been really the key.”

Sabalenka’s ability to handle those moments has been central to her current run on the tour, which has seen her reach the semifinal stage in six consecutive tournaments since last summer.

Although Sabalenka secured the win in straight sets, she acknowledged the improvement shown by Mboko compared with their previous meeting earlier this season at the Australian Open, where the Belarusian prevailed 6-1, 7-6(1).

Sabalenka said the Canadian’s serve and confidence had developed noticeably, contributing to a much closer contest in Indian Wells. “Yeah, definitely big improvement. I think she was serving much better than she did in that match in Australia. Definitely built more confident and was playing more brave.”

The World No. 1 also highlighted Mboko’s competitive spirit, pointing to the qualities she believes could eventually lead the young player to success at Grand Slam level. “I just see how aggressive she is, how passionate she is, how much she's fighting on court and never giving up. I see this as a future Grand Slam champion, for sure.”

Sabalenka also reflected on a broader statistic surrounding the tournament: the last seven women’s champions at Indian Wells were all aged 23 or younger. At 26, the Belarusian joked that the trend might not necessarily work in her favour but said she views it as additional motivation. “Well, I guess I have not much chances. Maybe because of the conditions, they younger, they physically stronger, so they can handle the heat better than us old people. But I'll take it as motivation to break this number.”

Beyond tactics and physical preparation, Sabalenka also pointed to balance away from the court as a key factor in maintaining her level across the season. When asked what she considers her “superpower” at this stage of her career, the Belarusian responded with characteristic humour. “I don't have superpower. Maybe that's my superpower.”

Sabalenka explained that finding equilibrium between tennis and her life outside competition has helped her remain mentally fresh throughout the demanding tour calendar. “I think my superpower is balancing this on-and-off-the-court life. I think that's what really important, and I think that's where I'm good at.”

Sabalenka will next face No. 14 seed Linda Noskova in the semifinals after the Czech defeated qualifier Talia Gibson 6-2, 4-6, 6-2. The Belarusian continues her pursuit of a first Indian Wells title, aiming to go one step further after two runner-up finishes in the tournament.