Elena Rybakina wins tournament in Indian Wells
Elena Rybakina wins the tournament in the Californian desert. In a final in Indian Wells that was particularly exciting in the first set, Rybakina, who started for Kazakhstan, won 7:6 (13:11) and 6:4 against Aryna Sabalenka.
by Robin Huiber
last edit: Mar 19, 2023, 11:29 pm
Revenge successful: Elena Rybakina was able to make up for her defeat at the Australian Open against Aryna Sabalenka. Rybakina triumphed in straight sets against the Australian Open winner in Indian Wells. In the first set, Sabalenka was already ahead with a break, but then the number 2 seed increasingly lost her serve. She made a total of ten double faults in the first set. In the end it was 13:11 for Rybakina in the tie-break.
Rybakina broke early in the second set and was able to hold her service game to the end. Her opponent didn't make double faults anymore, but she didn't get a chance in her return games. This time it wasn't as nerve-wracking as it was in the first sentence. After winning Wimbledon in 2022, the triumph in Indian Wells is Rybakina's second major title.
This marks the end of a tournament in top form for Rybakina. In the semifinals she swept the defending champion Iga Swiatek 6:2 and 6:2 off the field. It also remains the case that defending the women's title in Indian Wells is almost an impossibility. Martina Navratilova was last able to do this in 1991.