Aryna Sabalenka opens up about Elena Rybakina’s personality after Indian Wells final win and intense rivalry

Aryna Sabalenka had a tough fight against Elena Rybakina in the Indian Wells final, but after the match the World No. 1 spoke about something beyond the score. Sabalenka said Rybakina is “the kindest one on tour” and explained why she actually enjoys their rivalry even after some painful losses in the past.

Sabalenka defeated Rybakina 3–6, 6–3, 7–6(6) in the final at Indian Wells in California. The win helped the Belarusian player claim her first title of the 2026 season. It also gave her revenge after losing to Rybakina earlier at the 2026 Australian Open.Both players played strong tennis throughout the tournament. Aryna Sabalenka reached the final after beating Naomi Osaka, Victoria Mboko and Linda Noskova. Elena Rybakina also had an impressive run with victories over Jessica Pegula and Elina Svitolina before setting up the final clash.

Speaking to the media after the match, Sabalenka opened up about Rybakina’s personality and their long rivalry.

Aryna Sabalenka praises Elena Rybakina’s personality and explains why their rivalry brings out the best tennis

After the match, Aryna Sabalenka made it clear that her respect for Elena Rybakina goes far beyond their competitive matches. She described the Kazakh player as one of the nicest people on the tour while reflecting on their long history of facing each other.Sabalenka told reporters, “Yeah, she’s a nice one. I would say that she’s the kindest one on tour.

Yeah, we have been playing for so long, so many matches. And honestly, I really enjoy it, even though I lost so many of them and really painful ones.”The Belarusian star also explained why the rivalry pushes her to improve her game every time they meet on court.She said, “But still I enjoy it because it means that the final is gonna be a show, it’s gonna be great tennis, great level, and it’s gonna be a fight, which is great for people to watch and also for me to become a better player.”Aryna Sabalenka continued by saying she respects Rybakina both as a person and as a competitor. She added, “So I really enjoy our rivalry. So, yeah, I like her as a person, as a player, and I enjoy these battles. But I really hope that I’m gonna win all of them from now on.”The two players have now faced each other 15 times in their careers. Aryna Sabalenka holds a small edge in their head to head record with eight wins compared to Elena Rybakina’s seven.Their rivalry may continue very soon. Both players are now heading to the Miami Open. Sabalenka enters the tournament as the top seed while Rybakina is seeded third.The draw has placed them in the same half, which means they could meet again in the semifinals if both players win their earlier matches. Sabalenka may face players like Elina Svitolina, Jasmine Paolini or Madison Keys on her path. Elena Rybakina’s possible opponents include Iva Jovic, Naomi Osaka, Ekaterina Alexandrova and Jessica Pegula as she tries to reach the final four.