Voice of Urdu - وائس آف اردو

Indian Wells 2025: Sinner, Sabalenka win first titles

Editorial Team

Indian Wells champions Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka lifted their first BNP Paribas Open trophies on Sunday in the California desert, with Sinner defeating Daniil Medvedev 7-6(8/6), 7-6(7/4) and Sabalenka saving a match point to beat Elena Rybakina 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(8/6) in a pair of tight finals.

The wins deliver milestone breakthroughs at one of tennis’s biggest events outside the Grand Slams. Sinner added rare historical company in ATP Masters 1000 hard-court events, while Sabalenka flipped the script after recent title-match losses to Rybakina, with both now turning their focus to the Miami Open and the push toward the “Sunshine Double.”

Key Developments

Sinner clinched his maiden Indian Wells title by edging Medvedev in two tiebreak sets, finishing with 28 winners, 10 aces and going eight-for-eight at the net.
With the win, Sinner became only the third player to win all six ATP Masters 1000 hard-court titles, joining Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.
According to the report, Sinner’s first title of the year also made him the first player since 1990 to win consecutive Masters 1000 titles without dropping a set, extending his Masters 1000 hard-court winning streak to 11 matches dating back to his Paris title last November.
Sabalenka won her first Indian Wells title by rallying past Rybakina in three sets, saving a match point when trailing 5-6 in the final-set tiebreak.
Rybakina will head to Miami ranked second in the world, climbing one place to overtake Iga Swiatek, while Sabalenka will go to Miami to defend her title with a chance to complete the “Sunshine Double.”

Context and Background

Medvedev reached the Indian Wells final after beating world number one Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals, snapping Alcaraz’s perfect 16-match start to the season. The defeat left Medvedev with three Indian Wells final losses.

In the women’s final, Sabalenka halted a run of title-match setbacks to Rybakina, who had won their previous four finals meetings, beginning with Indian Wells in 2023 and including a close Australian Open final in January. Sabalenka also entered the match after losing last year’s Indian Wells final to Mirra Andreeva.

Details and Evidence

Sinner’s closing stretch

Sinner described the match as “very, very tough,” saying:

“I kept believing and kept pushing. I went for my shots a little more. A third set, we would have started even, so I tried my best to close it out and I am very happy. It was an incredible ending.”

He added that it was “great to see Daniil back playing this level,” and said his work from the start of the event paid off:

“I came here from day one, training really hard and this result makes me very happy.”

Sabalenka’s match-point escape

Sabalenka steadied herself after being broken back late in the third set, then forced a deciding tiebreak by holding at love. She recovered from 3-5 down in the tiebreak and saved match point with a backhand winner before closing out the match.

Reflecting on a missed opportunity at 5-all in the third set, Sabalenka said:

“I felt like I had a lot of opportunities in that game, which I didn’t use. I didn’t feel my best, for sure, after that game.”

She said her response in the next game helped get her to the tiebreak:

“But what I’m happy with is that in the next one I was able to pull out great serves to get that game and get into the tiebreak.”

Sabalenka also cited difficult conditions, saying the “boiling” temperature had her “dying” during the tiebreak but that Rybakina was affected as well.

Rybakina said her level fluctuated:

“I think the first set I played really well, and I was much more with the energy. Second set, big drop. Then in the third, I think for both of us was quite difficult.”

Current Status / What Happens Next

After their Indian Wells titles, Sabalenka will head to the Miami Open to defend her crown and chase the “Sunshine Double,” while Rybakina travels to Florida as the new world No. 2. Sinner’s victory delivers his first Indian Wells trophy and extends his standout run in ATP Masters 1000 hard-court events following his Paris title last November.