Sabalenka Survives Mboko Challenge to Reach Indian Wells Semi-Finals
Aryna Sabalenka, the world number one, moved a step closer to her first Indian Wells Masters 1000 title, defeating 19-year-old Victoria Mboko 7-6 (0), 6-4 in Thursday’s quarter-finals.
Tough First Set for Sabalenka
The match was closely contested in the opening set, with both players trading powerful shots. Despite an early challenge from the Canadian teen, who previously met Sabalenka at the Australian Open, Sabalenka stayed composed and dominated in the tiebreaker, winning it 7-0.
Mboko’s serve, which was notably stronger than in their January meeting in Melbourne, kept Sabalenka under pressure early on. However, the Belarusian was able to keep her focus and capitalize on key moments.
Sabalenka’s Breakthrough in the Second Set
In the second set, Sabalenka gained the first break on her seventh opportunity, taking a 3-2 lead and then fighting off two break points in the eighth game. She clinched the match after another well-timed service hold.
“It was a tough battle today,” Sabalenka said after the win. “Super happy with the performance. Happy with the level I played on those key moments in each set.”
Sabalenka to Face Noskova in Semis
Looking ahead, Sabalenka will play the winner of Linda Noskova and Talia Gibson in the semi-finals. Noskova, ranked 14th, defeated Australian qualifier Gibson 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 in their quarter-final.
Sabalenka commented on Mboko’s improvement since their last meeting: “I think she was serving much better than she did in that match in Australia. Definitely a bit more confident and was playing more brave.”
Mboko’s Improvement and Reflection
Mboko, for her part, acknowledged Sabalenka’s dominance at crucial moments: “I had a lot of chances in the first set … but she was playing really well, especially on pressure points.” The young Canadian was proud of her performance but noted the need for further refinement in tight moments.
“I feel like I was maybe one or two points away from changing how the first set would have went … that’s something I could work on for the next time.”
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