World number one Sabalenka advanced with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Czech Linda Noskova, while world number three Rybakina secured her spot with a 7-5, 6-4 victory against Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina.
Sabalenka, a two-time Indian Wells finalist, expressed optimism ahead of the match. “It feels great,” she said. “I’ve lost a couple of finals here, so I’ll make sure that I’m more than ready on Sunday. I’ll bring my best tennis and this is the year.”
The upcoming final will mark Sabalenka’s 14th WTA 1000 final. Despite her current world number one ranking, Rybakina has the upper hand in their head-to-head finals, winning four of their five previous encounters, including the WTA Finals in November and the Australian Open in January. The Kazakhstani player also claimed victory over Sabalenka in the 2023 Indian Wells final.
“I’m going to fight as much as I can. Hopefully it’s going to be a great match,” said Rybakina.
Sabalenka Comments on Controversial Hindrance Call
Sabalenka also weighed in on a controversial incident from the men’s quarter-finals involving Daniil Medvedev and Jack Draper. Draper, representing Great Britain, was penalized for a hindrance call after Medvedev requested a video review of a rally at 5-5 in the first set.
During the rally, Draper briefly stretched his arms to indicate he believed Medvedev’s forehand had gone long. Play continued for several more shots before Medvedev eventually hit a backhand into the net. The umpire, Aurelie Tourte, reviewed the footage and awarded the point to Medvedev, ruling that Draper’s actions had been unusual for the rally.
Sabalenka criticized the process, noting that players should be allowed to stop play immediately if they feel hindered rather than letting the point continue before asking for a review. “What I think is really awkward is you can finish the point and then ask for that,” she said. “If you really got bothered, then you should stop immediately and ask for the video review. If he would have won the point, he wouldn’t probably ask for the video review, right? I don’t really think that’s the way it should be.”
As anticipation builds for Sunday, all eyes will be on Sabalenka and Rybakina for what promises to be another competitive encounter in their growing rivalry.