Aryna Sabalenka finally conquered Indian Wells, saving a match point to defeat Elena Rybakina 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) in a dramatic final on Sunday.
The Belarusian snapped a four-match losing streak in finals against Rybakina, including January’s Australian Open clash, and claimed her first title at the desert showcase.
Sabalenka rallied from a break down in the second set, then erased match point with a blistering backhand in the deciding tiebreak before sealing victory.
“Thanks God I got this trophy,” she said, after ending her run of near-misses and rewriting the rivalry on her own terms.
