“I’m so done of losing these big finals”: Aryna Sabalenka sets sights on Indian Wells title ahead of Rybakina showdown

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the Indian Wells final after defeating 14th seed Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday, securing her place in the Indian Wells title match for the third time in the past four years. The Belarusian delivered a composed performance, controlling large stretches of the semi-final with strong serving and consistent pressure on Noskova’s return games.

Sabalenka’s victory keeps her firmly on course for a first title in the California desert. Despite her dominance at the top of the rankings — including extended time at No. 1 and multiple Grand Slam titles — Indian Wells remains one of the major trophies still missing from her résumé.

The result also sets up a high-profile final against Elena Rybakina, who defeated Elina Svitolina in the second semi-final. The match will be another chapter in an increasingly significant rivalry between two of the WTA Tour’s most powerful players.

Their latest meeting comes with recent history attached. Rybakina defeated Sabalenka in the 2023 Indian Wells final and again in the 2026 Australian Open championship match, meaning the Belarusian enters Sunday’s final with an opportunity for both redemption and a long-awaited title at Tennis Paradise.

Sabalenka’s semi-final win over Noskova followed a familiar pattern. The Belarusian used her serve to control the rhythm of the match and consistently applied pressure in return games, limiting the Czech player’s opportunities to dictate points.

After securing a break in the opening set, Sabalenka maintained control with a steady service performance and closed the set 6-3. Noskova attempted to raise her aggression in the second set, but Sabalenka’s consistency from the baseline and ability to neutralise early rallies prevented the momentum from shifting significantly.

Sabalenka later described her performance as one of her most complete of the week, highlighting her ability to combine strong serving with proactive returning. “Yeah, super happy with my performance. I think I really played great tennis," stated the world No.1. in press conference. "I was serving well. I was playing well. I like the way I put her under pressure on her serve, and of course happy to close this match in straight sets.”

The victory also continues Sabalenka’s strong season against elite competition. The four-time Grand Slam champion improved to 7-1 against Top-20 opponents in 2026, with her only defeat coming against Rybakina in the Australian Open final earlier this year.

Sabalenka has now reached three consecutive finals across the Sunshine Double events of Indian Wells and Miami, placing her alongside legends Monica Seles and Steffi Graf in that achievement. Sunday’s final will mark the 43rd tour-level final of her career.

Despite her impressive résumé, Sabalenka acknowledged that recent defeats in major finals have remained a motivating factor as she approaches another title opportunity. “I just want to focus, if I make it to the final, I want to make sure that I get it, I get the trophy," she said. "I’m so done of losing these big finals. It felt like even though players were playing incredible tennis in those finals, I feel like I had so many opportunities that I didn’t use.”

Sabalenka has twice fallen short in the Indian Wells final and also lost to Rybakina in Melbourne earlier this season. Reflecting on those matches, Sabalenka admitted she believes several opportunities slipped away in decisive moments. "Right now my mentality, if I make it to the final, I’ll go out there and I’ll do everything I can and everything I cannot to get that trophy.”

Sabalenka also reflected briefly on the narrow margins in her 2023 Indian Wells final loss to Rybakina, recalling a tight first-set tiebreak in which missed chances proved decisive. “I remember it was a really tight tiebreak. I had set points and I double-faulted. I felt like I was one break up and then she broke me back. Then it was a crazy tiebreak, and I lost the first set.”

The Belarusian expects another aggressive encounter in Sunday’s final, noting that matches against Rybakina often hinge on the opening exchanges of each rally. “Against Elena, it’s always super-aggressive, it’s all about the first few balls in every point. If you dominate in those first two shots, most likely you’re going to win the point.”