Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Two-time runner-up and World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka will compete for the Indian Wells title for the third time in four years after powering past No. 14 seed Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-4 into the final. Sabalenka’s semifinal win over Noskova is her 20th career win at Indian Wells. She’s now the first world No. 1 in the WTA Rankings to reach the final in consecutive years since the tournament’s inception in 1989 and joins Victoria Azarenka as the only two active players to reach the Indian Wells final three separate times.
Sabalenka looked comfortable from start to finish against the 21-year-old first-time Indian Wells semifinalist, and she quickly took control of her second career meeting with the Czech, racing out to a double-break 5-1 lead and claiming the set in relatively short order. However, the rising Czech sank her teeth into the match late in the second set.
She put her serving prowess on display as she saved a pair of break points to hold for 3-2, keeping the deficit to a single break. Noskova even managed a break point with Sabalenka serving at 4-3, 30-40 in set two, but three consecutive giant serves brought the world No. 1 to the brink of victory at 6-3, 5-3. Sabalenka finished the job two games later, cracking a forehand winner into the open court to close the match in one hour and 28 minutes.
“It feels great, but I lost my last couple of finals here,” Sabalenka told the crowd. “I’ll make sure that I’m more than ready on Sunday. I’ll bring my best tennis to make sure that this is the year.”
