Asian tennis star reaches Indian Wells final, sets new career milestone

Another milestone achieved by the Asian tennis beauty in her career.

Kazakhstan player Elena Rybakina secured a spot in the final Indian Wells 2026 after defeating Elina Svitolina 7-5; 6-4 in the semifinals on March 14 Vietnam time. This result allows Rybakina to face world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the championship match.

The upcoming final is seen as a notable rematch between two top players. Previously, the Asian representative defeated Sabalenka in the Australian Open 2026 title match in Melbourne, Australia.

In the semifinal, Svitolina started well, leading 2-0 early in the first set and delivering 4 aces. However, errors in service games, especially 4 double faults, allowed Rybakina to turn the match around.

When the score was 5-5 in set 1, Svitolina saved 2 break points but couldn't stop Rybakina from securing the decisive break. The 26-year-old player then held her service game to close the set 7-5 after 52 minutes.

In set 2, Rybakina quickly gained advantage through her most potent weapon—powerful serves—making it very difficult for her opponent to return. "We rarely see a female player serve so powerfully since Serena Williams.", former world number one Lindsey Davenport commented on Tennis Channel.

Nevertheless, Svitolina showed resilient fighting spirit. After trailing by 2 breaks in set 2, the Ukrainian player managed to regain one break and narrowed the score to 4-5. However, in the 10th game, Rybakina's accurate serves helped her maintain the advantage and finish the match.

With the semifinal win, Rybakina will certainly rise to number 2 in the WTA rankings next week—the highest career ranking, regardless of the final result. The Kazakh player is also aiming for her second title at Indian Wells after winning in 2023.

Meanwhile, Sabalenka not only aims for her first title at this tournament but is determined to settle the score from her loss to Rybakina at the Australian Open. Currently, Sabalenka leads 8-7 in their head-to-head record.