Aryna Sabalenka will look to defend her Indian Wells title on Sunday when she plays Elena Rybakina.
Sabalenka, who beat Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-4 to reach the final, will be hoping to avenge her loss to Rybakina in the 2026 Australian Open final.
Rybakina, who will become world number two for the first time in her career after Indian Wells, has emerged as the biggest threat to Sabalenka on the WTA Tour, defeating the Belarusian in their last two meetings.
However, Sabalenka has proven herself to be the most consistently excellent player on the Tour, and this is unlikely to change anytime soon.
Ahead of Sunday’s final, Brad Gilbert – the former coach of Coco Gauff – has discussed what sets the Belarusian apart from her WTA Tour peers.
Brad Gilbert says Aryna Sabalenka’s ability to ‘break serve’ separates the Belarusian from her WTA Tour counterparts
Gilbert, who was an instrumental figure in the career of Andre Agassi, has weighed in on the strengths of Aryna Sabalenka’s game ahead of the Indian Wells final.
Gilbert, who has also worked with Andy Murray and Andy Roddick, has identified Sabalenka’s return game as an area of strength heading into Sunday’s championship showpiece.
Who wins more Grand Slams in their career – Elena Rybakina or Aryna Sabalenka?
“I think what separates Sabalenka—besides her serve, the plus one— I think she has the best forehand in the women’s game… she can break serve,” Gilbert said.
“She had 10 break points, and she bludgeons second serves so I feel like she gets early leads and when she gets early leads she then can take more shortcuts.
“She does a great job on the second serve stats, her own second serve, and she just goes after her opponent’s second serve.
Mark Petchey, the coach of Emma Raducanu, chimed in: “Yeah, with something like 60 per cent of second-serve points won today. It was a very high number.”
Gilbert then concluded: “60 per cent for a guy is a great number. 60 per cent for Aryna today is off the charts.”
Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina’s head-to-head record
The pair have a close head-to-head record, with Sabalenka currently leading by eight wins to seven.
The pair first met in 2019, with Sabalenka winning the Wuhan Open quarter-final contest 6-3, 1-6, 6-1.
Rybakina will have the chance to level their rivalry at eight wins apiece when she play Sabalenka in the Indian Wells final on Sunday.
| Tournament | Round | Winner | Score |
| 2026 Australian Open | Final | Rybakina | 6–4, 4–6, 6–4 |
| 2025 WTA Finals (Riyadh) | Final | Rybakina | 6–3, 7–6 |
| 2025 Wuhan Open | Quarterfinal | Sabalenka | 6–3, 6–3 |
| 2025 Cincinnati Open | Quarterfinal | Rybakina | 6–1, 6–4 |
| 2025 Berlin Open | Quarterfinal | Sabalenka | 7–6, 3–6, 7–6 |
| 2024 WTA Finals | Round Robin | Rybakina | 6–4, 3–6, 6–1 |
| 2024 Madrid Open | Semifinal | Sabalenka | 1–6, 7–5, 7–6 |
| 2024 Brisbane International | Final | Rybakina | 6–0, 6–3 |
| 2023 WTA Finals | Round Robin | Sabalenka | 6–2, 3–6, 6–3 |
| 2023 China Open (Beijing) | Quarterfinal | Rybakina | 7–5, 6–2 |
| 2023 Indian Wells | Final | Rybakina | 7–6, 6–4 |
| 2023 Australian Open | Final | Sabalenka | 4–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
| 2021 Wimbledon | Round of 16 | Sabalenka | 6–3, 4–6, 6–3 |
| 2021 Abu Dhabi Open | Quarter-finals | Sabalenka | 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 |
| 2019 Wuhan Open | Quarter-finals | Sabalenka | 6-3, 1-6, 6-1 |
So, when will the Indian Wells final take place?
What time is the Indian Wells final?
If you are watching the match in the United Kingdom, Sabalenka and Rybakina’s clash will begin at 6pm GMT.
For those living on the west coast of America, you can watch the final from 11am PST.
For those on the Australian east coast, you can watch the final at 4am AEST.
What does Aryna Sabalenka need to change in 2026 to win multiple Grand Slam titles?
The weather is expected to be hot when Sabalenka and Rybakina step onto court on Sunday. As per BBC Weather, temperatures are set to reach 31 degrees at 11am on Sunday.
Temperatures are set to peak at 35 degrees Celsius at around 3pm.
