INDIAN WELLS – There was no rust evident in Aryna Sabalenka’s game as she began her journey at the 2026 BNP Paribas Open with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over qualifier Himeno Sakatsume.
“Super happy with the level I played,” Sabalenka said afterwards. “Very happy to get this win. I haven’t played for a while.”
In fact, it had been five weeks since Sabalenka lost to Elena Rybakina in the Australian Open final. Sabalenka didn’t play the two WTA 1000 events in the Middle East, but after arriving here in the desert, she scored a 12-carat diamond engagement ring.
Sabalenka is still only 27 years old, but she has already tied Maria Sharapova with 136 WTA 1000 wins, good for seventh place. Among active players, only Victoria Azarenka has more. Her shot at No. 137 comes against Jaqueline Cristian, who won 0-6, 6-2, 7-5 over No. 29 seed Maya Joint, whom she has never played.
On Sunday, she headlines a fabulous card showcasing some of the best and brightest from the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz. No fewer than 11 Grand Slam singles titles are represented in eight third-round matches from the top half of the draw, with some attractive matchups:
Gauff-Eala II
Seventeen days ago, Coco Gauff defeated Alexandra Eala 6-0, 6-2 in Dubai.
“Living my dreams and playing in Indian Wells with a lot of people supporting me is something I have dreamed of since I was young,” Eala said upon his arrival here. “I would love to play her again. I think she’s an incredible athlete and an incredible person and she’s a role model for a reason.”
Wish granted. The 20-year-old Filipino phenom meets Gauff, 21, with a chance to show her what he learned in their first meeting. Eala is coming off a gutsy three-set victory over Dayana Yastremska, while Gauff beat qualifier Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3, 7-6 (5).
Gauff played an excellent tiebreaker – she is the only woman to win all four extra sessions this year and is 59-30 in her career – but she will need to clean up a reluctant forehand and the 10 double faults she suffered against Rakhimova.
Eala, who memorably defeated Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, Paula Badosa and Iga Swiatek on her way to the Miami semifinals a year ago, has already developed some big-game experience.
“It’s not my first big game,” Eala said. “I think it’s definitely going to be tough. I hope a big crowd supports her just because she’s amazing.”
Advantage, Anisimova or Raducanu?
Emma Raducanu and Amanda Anisimova have played three times in their careers, all of them last year. Raducanu won the first two, but Anisimova won 6-2, 6-1 in Montreal. The 24-year-old American was in the midst of a torrid summer spell when she reached the finals of Wimbledon and the US Open.
“The last time I faced her she was playing very well,” Anisimova said. “I played how I wanted to play. At the end of the day, I mean, there’s a certain way I like to play. I think I found my rhythm, too.
“Yes, it was a great match. She is not an easy opponent to face. She always brings high quality tennis. Looking forward to another good match.”
Anisimova had a difficult first set in her match against Anna Blinkova, but after adjusting to the windy conditions and calming down, she won 5-7, 6-1, 6-0.
Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, is 7-6 on the season after a decisive 6-1, 6-3 victory over qualifier Anastasia Zakharova.
A rematch at Tennis Garden
We saw this matchup almost exactly a year ago, when Camila Osorio defeated Naomi Osaka 6-4, 6-4 in a first-round match here. Osaka won her only other match four years ago at the Australian Open.
Speaking of which, Osaka was not happy with this year’s performances in Australia. After needing three sets to defeat Antonia Ruzic and Sorana Cirstea, she conceded a win to Maddison Inglis following a left abdominal injury. Her 7-5, 6-2 first-round victory over qualifier Victoria Jiménez Kasintseva was only her fifth match of the year.
“I was really disappointed,” Osaka told reporters. “I feel like every year I go through that specific injury. But yeah, I’m grateful to be here and play. Last year I didn’t do very well here, so I think I’m over last year.”
Osorio won an upset in the first round over rising star and No. 18 seed Iva Jovic, 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3.
Mboko is at the forefront
She’s only 19 years old, but the Canadian has already broken into the Top 10 and, while it’s a small sample size, she has historically been impressive in WTA 1000 events. Mboko won all seven of her matches last year in Montreal and reached the recent final in Doha.
That gave her 15 wins in her first six 1000s. Since 1990, only four teenagers have had more wins in their first 20 matches in Tier I/WTA-1000 events, and their names are Monica Seles (19), Bianca Andreescu (18), Serena Williams (17) and Jennifer Capriati (16).
“Everyone is fine,” Mboko explained. “Of course, everyone wants to beat you. I feel like anything can happen. It’s not like I expect to win every tournament every week, and that’s almost impossible.”
“I just take it week by week. If it’s not my week, then move on.”
The No. 10 seed defeated Kimberly Birrell 6-4, 7-6 (5) and faces No. 23 Anna Kalinskaya, a 6-4, 7-6 (4) winner over Zeynep Sonmez. Mboko has won her two previous matches, including a three-setter earlier this year en route to the final in Adelaide.