BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, CA, 2026 - WTA 1000

[MargaretMcAleer]

Results of SFs
Seeds through,
Sabalenka (1) Rybakina (3)

Seeds lost,
Noskova (14) Svitolina (9)

 

[britbox]

Highlights from the Semis:

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Ladies Doubles Final
Saturday 14th March
11.00am local time,

Siniakova/Townsend (3) vs Danilina/Krunic (5)

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Siniakova/Townsend (3) are the Ladies Doubles Champions defeating Danilina/Krunic (5) it was a competitive match, 4 all in the 2nd set, then Siniakova/Townsend broke Danilina/Krunic to love and went onto win 76(4) 64!
Siniakova/Townsend win their 2nd doubles title as a team!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

An upset in the Mixed Doubles Final,
Belinda Bencic/Flavio Cobolli d the No 1 seeded players Glasspool/Dabrowski 63 26 10-7
Congratulations to Belinda and Flavio!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Ladies Singles Final,
Sunday March 15,
11am local time,

Aryna Sabalenka (1) vs Elena Rybakina (3) Sabalenka heads their H2H 8-7, Rybakina won their most recent meeting at the AO 2026 in 3 sets.
Sabalenka has not lost a set en route to the final, she has made the finals at IW ( 2023, lost to Rybakina, 2025 lost to Andreeva)
Can Sabalenka be 3rd time lucky and finally add a IW 1000 title to her resume

Rybakina making a deep run in IW has pushed past Swiatek to be No 2 in the new rankings when they come out this Monday. It will be a career high. Rybakina probably has a slight edge in her recent wins against Sabalenka in Riyadh 2025, and the AO 2026.

Sabalenka will probably be wanting to make amends after her recent loss at the AO this year, also lost the 2 finals here in IW.

The 2 Top ladies players vying for a WTA1000 title in IW.

Good luck to both players!

 

[britbox]

Siniakova/Townsend (3) are the Ladies Doubles Champions defeating Danilina/Krunic (5) it was a competitive match, 4 all in the 2nd set, then Siniakova/Townsend broke Danilina/Krunic to love and went onto win 76(4) 64!
Siniakova/Townsend win their 2nd doubles title as a team!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Elena and Saba on court
Elena won the toss and of course elected to serve
A .lovely sunny day, with slight winds, good conditions to play tennis
Love watching Elena play effortless ball striking off both wings,
What a return from Elena and she breaks Saba, Saba has to change her tactics, use some slice, drop shots, to disrupt the rhythm of Elena
Elena consolidates the break with a Ace and leads 5-2
Elena serving for the 1st set 5-3,
Elena and her great serve saved her, reminds me a lot of Serena in ways, Saba did have chances with good returning, though was snuffed out with Elena's serve
Elena 63 1st set , first set that Saba has lost all tournament

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Saba your emotions and wanting to win IW are getting in the way of you playing tennis? how many times have I witnessed that?
Elena with 2 BPs
Jesus a DF and hands the break to Elena
Saba breaks back her returns made the break
Saba get your head in the right space for starters, the tactics you are using wont break the rhythm of Elena BTW?
Elena with great returning gets a BP, saved by Saba
Elena is controlling the middle of the court. Massive hold from Saba
Saba 2-1 2nd set
Saba with BP, and it appears that Elena's intensity has dropped
Elena DFs and hands the break to Saba, that is 2 breaks in a row
Looks like some fatique going on with Elena, she is hitting her legs.
There you go Saba with the drop shot, and you lead 4-1
Elena stops the rot
Saba 4-2, Saba in a bit of trouble on serve, finds a way out with a good body serve
Saba 5-2
Saba will serve for the 2nd set 5-3
Saba go back to serving down the tee please
On her 2nd SP Saba saves some BPs on the way and wins the 2nd set 63
Going 3, I expect both players to take a toilet break as the conditions have really got hot in the desert

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Well I was wrong, neither player took a toilet break.
Great drop shot from Saba, see when you make some tactical changes good things happen
Elena was up 40 love now facing a BP
Saba breaks with a great fhand, remember a break isnt a break unless you consolidate
That was a Sic bhand from Saba and she backs it up with a good serve down the tee!
Saba if you dont get a first serve in, Elena will make you pay
See what a first serve can do Saba lol!
Saba wriggles out of the game, with a strong 2nd serve mind you
Saba leads 3-1
A timely Ace no 8 gets Saba out of a tricky game
Saba leads 4-2
A love service game from Elena
Saba leads 4-3
Elena with 2 BPs returning deep to the lines
Clutch serving from Saba saving I BP and there it is again the serve of Saba saving 2 BPs
Clutch serving from Saba she closes with an Ace down the tee
Saba 5-3
Pressure is on as Saba comes out to serve for her 1st title at IW at 5-4
Stunning point from Elena as she breaks the serve of Saba serving for the match
Back on serve, Elena's return of serving has been on of the highlights of her game today
Both players playing on their front foots, Saba with a wonderful bhand down the line
Deuce
Saba with her 2nd BP she needs to find a little calm, lol! missed her bhand by a fraction
Saba with her 3rd BP
Elena cant find her first serve, geez Saba you went for too much, deuce
Elena finds a 1st serve and return goes wide, Saba with her 4th BP nope Elena with a great bhand
Saba with her 5th BP, Elena with a great 1st serve, deuce
Elena has been able to shake off 5 BPs, back to deuce,
What a hold from Elena saving 5 BPs that is what Champion players are made of
Saba will serve to force a TB for the 3rd set 5-6
6 games all TB neither player a lost a TB this year
Elena to serve first
First mini break goes to Elena as Saba's fh finds the net
Super return from Saba and she gets the mini break back
5 all
Rybakina digs deep and finds a wonderful bhand
Saba says No I am still in this TB delivers a Bh of her own.
Saba 7-6 as Elena fhand finds the net
3rd time lucky for Saba as she wins the match 36 63 76(6) Phew what a match we are soo lucky to have these 2 champions in our game!

 

[Moxie]

Wow, those ladies can put on some show. They're very fire vs ice, too. I missed the first half, but what I saw was pretty exciting.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Wow, those ladies can put on some show. They're very fire vs ice, too. I missed the first half, but what I saw was pretty exciting.

A great match from 2 champion players, happy for Saba, 3rd time lucky as she finally wins a IW title

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Tommy Haas is still such an 'handsome man'

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Sabalenka with the 10th WTA1000 win
20th hard court title
23rd career title
Her first IW title 3rd time lucky is a charm
Congrats Saba!