World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is showing strong form at the Indian Wells tennis tournament, playing impressively as she advanced through the rounds and earned a spot in the final.
After one of her strong matches, Sabalenka jokingly credited tennis legend Martina Navratilova as her “lucky charm” for helping her secure an important win.
Sabalenka defeated Victoria Mboko in the quarterfinals, 7-6 (7-0), 6-1, demonstrating her ability to perform under pressure.
The Belarusian star was especially strong in the tie-break, winning every point. Her powerful baseline shots and aggressive style let her control the match and move confidently to the next round.
Speaking after the match, Sabalenka joked about spotting Navratilova before the tie-break.
She said seeing the tennis legend in the stands made her feel it was a good sign right away.
Sabalenka joked that Navratilova should come to more of her matches since she seemed to bring good luck.
Sabalenka said she used to get frustrated when matches went into tie-breaks because she thought she should have finished the set earlier.
But her mindset has changed. Now she sees tie-breaks as a chance to shine, since she has a strong record in them.
Sabalenka said opponents often feel extra pressure in tie-breaks, so she tries to stay aggressive and stick to her game plan to capitalise on it.
Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko admitted after the match that she had several chances in the first set but failed to convert them.
The 19-year-old said the match might have gone differently if she had taken advantage of a few key points.
Despite losing, Mboko admitted Sabalenka played very well during the crucial moments.
Sabalenka continued her strong run in the tournament by defeating Linda Noskova in the semifinal 6-3, 6-4.
Her powerful serving and aggressive baseline shots kept Noskova under constant pressure. Sabalenka hit 37 winners and 11 aces, showing why she remains one of the most dangerous players on the WTA Tour.
The victory sets up a highly anticipated Indian Wells final between Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina.
Rybakina reached the final by beating Elina Svitolina 7-5, 6-4. This match will also be a rematch of their Australian Open final, adding extra excitement.
Although Sabalenka leads their career head-to-head 8-7, Rybakina has won their last two meetings, including the WTA Finals title match and the Australian Open final.
Both players are in great form, making the final one of the tournament’s most exciting matches. Sabalenka will try to win the Indian Wells title after losing two finals before, while Rybakina aims to keep her winning streak against top players going.
