INDIAN WELLS: Aryna Sabalenka defeats Elena Rybakina to win her first title in Indian Wells

Sabalenka chose to step away from competition for a while after suffering heartbreak at the Grand Slam at the beginning of the year, and it appears that this decision has paid off.

She has put in some dominant performances over the past two weeks and faced serious pressure against an opponent she tends to struggle against.

The 27-year-old had lost four of her previous five encounters with Rybakina in the finals, but she put in a huge effort to claim her second title of the year.

However, it’s not just Sabalenka who has struggled against Rybakina, as six of her last ten appearances in finals have ended in defeat.

Sabalenka’s last two matches at the Indian Wells finals also ended in defeat, losing to Rybakina in 2023 and Mira Andreeva last year.

After losing the first set, the first in which she lost in all tournaments, Sabalenka could be excused for thinking that she would suffer another defeat, but the four-time Grand Slam singles champion showed amazing character to force her to return to competition.

Sabalenka is known to let her frustration get in her way, but she got rid of any frustration in a positive way, breaking her serve twice in a row and saving four break points before deciding the second set.

This momentum continued into the deciding set and it seemed that an early break was enough for Sabalenka when she had the opportunity to serve out the match.

However, Rybakina responded and then went on to save five break points.

In a match full of ups and downs, the end lived up to expectations, with Sabalenka holding off a brilliant tiebreak to come out on top.