Sabalenka’s IW Title Celebration: Beef & Booze
By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, March 15, 2026
Photo credit: BNP Paribas Open Facebook
INDIAN WELLS—Aryna Sabalenka completed her career-long quest edging Elena Rybakina 3-6, 6-3, 7-(6) to capture her maiden BNP Paribas Open crown.
Her victory party plans may surprise you.
The world No. 1 captured 23rd career title, her 20th on hard court, and snapped her four-match final losing streak to Rybakina, who broke her heart in the Australian Open final and the 2023 Indian Wells title match.
Sabalenka shared her championship celebration will be beef and booze.
“Well, I guess a couple espresso martinis, probably, and Five Guys [burgers] to go. Basically, that’s
why I’m never in good shape, because it’s Five Guys and espresso martinis in celebration (laughing),” Sabalenka said. “Yeah, I guess that’s it. Maybe a couple drinks just to cheer ourselves.
“And that’s it, because the schedule is really tight and we’re on to the next one, and I cannot relax too much, because I’m defending champion there, and also, it’s Miami. I love being there, playing there, so I want to do well there, as well.
“So I will try to stay loose but focused. I guess it’s, again, going into the balancing everything, so I will try to balance it the best way possible.”
The 27-year-old Sabalenka sure has cause to spend the night tossing back Martinis, Mojitos, Margaritas and Drop Shots, the tournament’s official drink.
In a life-changing tournament, Sabalenka began this tournament getting engaged to boyfriend Georgios Frangulis. Sabalenka has sported an engagement rock on her ring finger and joked the weight of that diamond ring has given her heavy forehand even more force. She brought her adopted dog, Ash, to the grassy area adjacent to the practice courts and remains undefeated in 2026 tiebreakers claiming her second title of the season.
The 2026 BNP Paribas Open set a new tournament record with a total attendance of 527,626 across the fortnight. This marks the second consecutive year the tournament has surpassed 500,000 fans.
Today, Sabalenka and Rybakina, friendly rivals, set the desert on fire in a two-hour 31-minute showcase of shotmaking that was the most thrilling match of the WTA season so far.
Sabalenka said she’s hoping for more battles with Rybakina and more rousing celebrations to come.
“She’s a nice one. I would say that she’s the kindest one on tour,” Sabalenka said of soft-spoken Australian Open champion Rybakina. “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.”
Playing a spectacular in searing 95-degree heat, Sabalenka and Rybakina endured the pain to deliver the pleasure treasure: an all-time classic Palm Springs final.
“But still I enjoy it because it means that the final 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,” Sabalenka said of her rivalry with Rybakina. “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.”
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