Aryna Sabalenka has secured her place in the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open after defeating Victoria Mboko in the quarterfinals. This marks her third semifinal appearance at the event.
Aryna Sabalenka advances to semifinals at Indian Wells
Aryna Sabalenka has been a prominent player on the WTA Tour, achieving significant milestones in her career. On March 12, 2026, she continued her impressive run by defeating Victoria Mboko with a score of 7-6(0), 6-4 in the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open.
This victory marks Sabalenka’s third career semifinal at the BNP Paribas Open, further solidifying her status as a top contender in the tournament. Throughout the match, Sabalenka showcased her resilience, saving all five break points she faced.
Sabalenka’s performance has been noteworthy, as she has reached six consecutive semifinals on the WTA Tour. Her consistency has been a hallmark of her recent play, and she is a two-time Indian Wells runner-up, having finished second in both 2023 and 2025.
In the match against Mboko, Sabalenka demonstrated her skill in tiebreak situations, claiming a 7-0 tiebreak in the first set, which marked the first time she achieved such a score at the tour level. Additionally, she has maintained an impressive 4-0 record in tiebreaks in 2026.
Victoria Mboko, only 19 years old, put up a fight but struggled with her serve, committing eight double faults during the match. Despite this, she managed to save seven out of eight break points she faced, showing her potential as a rising star in women’s tennis.
After the match, Sabalenka praised Mboko, calling her a future Grand Slam champion, highlighting the young player’s talent and potential. Sabalenka stated, “I think all of those young kids who’s on tour right now, they all have a huge potential to be Grand Slam champions.”
Looking ahead, Sabalenka’s next opponent will be No. 14 seed Linda Noskova in the semifinals. As she prepares for this match, Sabalenka remains focused on maintaining her competitive edge.
Reflecting on her success in tiebreaks, Sabalenka remarked, “I feel like the moment (when) I will feel relaxed, I will definitely start losing. So I felt that’s why I have been really successful in those tiebreaks, because I take it really serious.” This mindset has certainly contributed to her strong performance in recent tournaments.
As the tournament progresses, observers will be watching closely to see if Sabalenka can continue her winning streak and secure a place in the finals.
