Elena Rybakina admits what she really struggled with in her match with Aryna Sabalenka

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Elena Rybakina saw her one-set lead dissolve before her very eyes earlier today, beaten by Aryna Sabalenka in the Indian Wells final.

It marked a disappointing end to an impressive tournament for the two-time major champion, whose phenomenal run against top-ten players has come to an end.

Having to do media duties after such a crushing moment must never be nice for players, but Elena Rybakina was gracious in defeat and offered some intriguing insight whilst speaking with the press.

Every word of Elena Rybakina’s press conference after the Indian Wells final

The press conference began with one reporter asking Rybakina what she felt Aryna Sabalenka was able to do differently to end her four-match run of losing to the Kazakh in finals.

She admitted: “Well, I think that match was very close, especially in the third set. It’s roulette. You cannot say that someone did something extraordinary.

“I think I started the match well. Then my level of energy dropped a lot. Of course, losing in the second set, it gives confidence also to your opponent.

“Well, as I say, third set, it was fight with the conditions, with the opponent, with yourself at some point. It wasn’t easy with such heat.

“I’m happy that I played the other matches kind of later, but there is also a moment where I maybe didn’t get used to such hot condition, morning matches, also.

“So it’s at some point good to not play in the morning and play last match, but the same time you are not really adapting as quick. I mean, it again was very tough battle, and honestly, nothing really to say much.”

Rybakina touched on the conditions, admitting that they did trouble her in the second set, before revealing how she prepares to face a player as dominant as Sabalenka, stating: “Well, we have a team which prepares us for different scenarios of the match.

“And of course we know our strengths and sometimes even knowing where she serves. So I know if it’s a fast serve, even if you put the racquet doesn’t mean that you can really put it back in, because it’s, like, very strong serves.

‘So we both trying to change some things, and in the important moments, I think the difference is of this extra energy, extra push, and for me I had the one match point and she returned pretty well, so it’s tough to say.

“But from my side, I could say that I should have done better in the second set, somehow find this energy maybe, or I don’t know. But I can say that I did everything possible, but still, if you have this little difference, and I had a match point, so I could have done better in the end.”

She concluded by discussing the Sabalenka serve, asked how difficult it was to deal with.

Rybakina smiled as she noted: “I think I was battling more with myself and with the sun and the energy level (smiling). But definitely her serve is not easy to return, if it’s first serve or she’s going with a kick.

“But in these matches, you need to have energy, you need to move well because she plays fast also. Of course when the serve is changing, it’s more difficult to return rather than it’s the same serve.”

In her post-match speech, Sabalenka admitted she was unhappy with one area of the match as well, despite winning the title

Elena Rybakina vs Aryna Sabalenka is the best rivalry in women’s tennis

Whilst some might argue that Sabalenka has great rivalries with the likes of Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek, there’s no denying who her greatest rival is now.

After all, Rybakina has finally added consistency to her game, which many knew was one of the most dangerous on tour.

As such, we have been treated to two enthralling matches involving her and Sabalenka in the first three months of the season, both of which came in finals.

The fact that they are now the top two-ranked players only reinforces their budding rivalry, which already has 16 iterations.