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Sabalenka registered a 7-6 (7/0), 6-4 win over Mboko and will take on Czech Linda Noskova, who ended the impressive run of Australian Talia Gibson with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 victory.
Aryna Sabalenka. (AP Photo)
World number one Aryna Sabalenka continued her quest for a first title at the prestigious ATP and WTA Masters 1000 event, overcoming Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko 7-6 (7/0), 6-4.
The Belarusian star will next face 14th-ranked Czech Linda Noskova, who ended the impressive run of Australian qualifier Talia Gibson with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 victory.
Sabalenka’s match against Mboko was also a rematch of their Australian Open encounter. Sabalenka noted that the 19-year-old Canadian had significantly improved since their fourth-round match in Melbourne. Despite this, Sabalenka’s power and precision ultimately prevailed.
“It was a tough battle today,” Sabalenka said following the victory.
“I’m super happy with my performance and the level I played at during key moments in each set,” the Belarussian added.
“I think she was serving much better than in our match in Australia. She was definitely more confident and played more bravely.”
Mboko acknowledged the difficulty of playing against the world number one but recognised areas for improvement.
“It’s never easy to play the world number one,” she said.
“I had a lot of chances in the first set, but she played really well, especially under pressure. I have to give her credit for that,” the Canadian star said.
Iga Swiatek was eliminated from the Indian Wells ATP and WTA Masters 1000 on Thursday, losing 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 to ninth-ranked Ukrainian Elina Svitolina.
Poland’s Swiatek, a six-time Grand Slam champion ranked second in the world, struggled with eight double faults in an inconsistent performance.
Svitolina, drawing on her experience, capitalised on early opportunities and maintained her composure in a tense third set to advance to the Indian Wells semi-finals for the first time since 2019.
Svitolina secured the win with a break of Swiatek’s serve for a 5-4 lead, then clinched match point with an ace followed by a forehand volley.
Having won the title in Auckland earlier this year and finishing as runner-up to Jessica Pegula in the WTA 1000 event in Dubai last month, Svitolina will face either Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina or Pegula for a spot in the final.
For Swiatek, it marked another frustrating quarter-final exit this year, having been knocked out at the same stage at both the Australian Open and the Qatar Open.
(With Inputs From Agencies)
United States of America (USA)
March 13, 2026, 12:05 IST
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