Aryna Sabalenka takes Indian Wells: Elena Rybakina falls in tie-break

Aryna Sabalenka won the Indian Wells Masters 1000 after an eternal, balanced and thrilling final against Elena Rybakina. After more than two and a half hours of play, it was the number 1 in the WTA circuit who prevailed in three sets, with the score of 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(6). The tie-break was then decisive, after the strong Kazakh, who currently occupies the third place in the world circuit, had managed to win the first set. For the “Belarusian tiger” it is instead a rematch against the same opponent who defeated her in the Australian Open final last January after three heart-pounding sets.

Marco Enzo Venturini

The same story could be written in Indian Wells as well, with Rybakina able to take the 4-2 break with no time or way for Sabalenka to straighten out the set. However, things start to get serious in the next set, opened by break and counterbreak that still leaves everything tied between the two women’s tennis superstars. The third game rewards the Belarusian, who cancels two more break points from her rival and then breaks her serve again for the 3-1 point. In the ninth game she then managed to contain her, canceled yet another break point and evened the set count on the second attempt.

Eterno the deciding set, which is close to an hour and a quarter long. Again it is Sabalenka who has the first acceleration with the 2-1 break. But Rybakina doesn&#8217t take it: already in the eighth game twice she sees her counterbreak ball thwarted, only to bring it to fruition at 5-5. It goes to game number 11, perhaps one of the most intense games that contemporary women’s tennis can remember: the total points are 18, the break points nullified by the strong Kazakh woman as many as five. Her resilience, however, moves the matter to the tie-break, in which her opponent recovers from 5-6 to’8-6 going on to take the trophy.

The magical moment thus continues for Aryna Sabalenka, who right in the early stages of the Indian Wells tournament said yes to the marriage proposal she received from partner Georgios Frangulis. It was the world number 1 herself who had revealed it, through a post via social media. The husband-to-be got down on one knee and, in a perfect setting of flowers, asked the Belarusian woman for her hand in marriage, which she answered with a convinced yes.

Aryna Sabalenka and Georgios Frangulis have been a couple for quite some time. Their first official outing was at the Madrid Open in 2024. The two have been together ever since, with the 1988-born Brazilian entrepreneur accompanying her everywhere. He has also been a driver in the past. He has participated in 128 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge races.