First Rate: Sabalenka Sweeps Osaka to Reach Indian Wells QF

By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Photo credit: BNP Paribas Open Facebook

INDIAN WELLS—Aryna Sabalenka promised a fashion show prior to her rematch with Naomi Osaka.

The world No. 1 delivered a dress down.

Two-time finalist Sabalenka shredded Osaka 6-2, 6-4 powering into the BNP Paribas Open quarterfinals.

The reigning Miami Open and Madrid champion served 75 percent, cracked eight aces—four in each set—and saved both break points she faced in a convincing performance of both explosiveness and variety.

“I’m super happy with the performance today, the way I brought variety on court, that I made her guess most of the times, and of course happy with the serves,” Sabalenka said. “So I felt like it was a great performance for me.”

Continuing her hunt for a maiden BNP Paribas Open crown, Sabalenka sped into the quarterfinals where she will play either Amanda Anisimova, in what would be a rematch of the 2025 US Open final, or Montreal champion Victoria Mboko. The sixth-seeded Anisimova and 10th-seeded Mboko face off on Stadium 2 tonight.

The opening match on Stadium 1 today was the first time the current and former world No. 1 players met since Osaka out-dueled Sabalenka 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 in the 2018 US Open fourth round. Osaka went on to beat Americans Madison Keys and Serena Williams, in the final, to capture her maiden major championship in Flushing Meadows.

Sabalenka said today’s rematch is a prelude of showdowns to come.

“I’m pretty sure we’re gonna play many more matches,” Sabalenka said. “She’s coming back playing great tennis. I’m super happy with the result today more than last time we played.”

Osaka, who played her prior matches on Stadium 2, said returning to the Indian Wells’ Tennis Garden’s biggest stage was a buzz despite the defeat.

“I mean, it was definitely really tough, but honestly, my biggest takeaway is that I had a lot of fun,” Osaka said. “I hadn’t gotten the opportunity to play on Stadium 1, and to play against the No. 1 player, it was really cool.”

Drawing first-break blood, Sabalenka converted her third break point for a 2-1 lead.

Whipping the wide serve, Sabalenka held for 3-1 after 17 minutes.

In an assertive move that surely made co-coach and former doubles No. 1 Max Mirnyi smile, Sabalenka followed a drive forward and blocked a high forehand volley for a break point. Osaka saved it but flat-lined a forehand into net to face a second break point.

This time, the top-seed blasted back-to-back backhands down the line, eliciting a stretched and netted reply to break again for 5-2 after 31 minutes of heavy hitting.

Slamming an ace down the T brought the Belarusian triple set point. 

On her second set point, Sabalenka slashed her second ace of the game and fourth of the set to seal it in 34 minutes.

Superior serving set the tone: Sabalenka served 75 percent and hit just five second serves, while Osaka was 5 of 13 on second-serve points won in the opener.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka stayed in step through six games of the second set. 

Then Sabalenka stepped on the accelerator.

Corning her opponent with a crackling forehand return, Sabalenka stepped inside the baseline and smoked a diagonal forehand winner breaking for 4-3 with a scream.

The 16th-seeded Osaka drew a netted forehand to earn a break-back point in the eighth game. Sabalenka invoked her power pattern of hammering the wide serve on the ad side to embrace it. That strike helped her work through a deuce hold for 5-3.

An ace brought the top seed to match point and Sabalenka slammed the wide serve winner to seal an 80-minute victory. Sabalenka improved to 14-1 on the season.

“I think overall I’m happy that I put so much pressure on her, that I used variety on court and I think she’s a little confused in the key moments,” Sabalenka said. “So I’m happy with the performance for sure.”