Sabalenka gets revenge at Indian Wells

Sabalenka signing autographs for fans after her victory over Madison Keys

In a rematch of the Australian Open final, Aryna Sabalenka secured an impressive win over Madison Keys in just under an hour. The Belarusian seemed unstoppable, firing winners from both wings and giving Keys no room to breathe.

Although the crowd was clearly behind the American, Sabalenka didn’t falter—dropping only one game to reach the final of the BNP Paribas Open.

Keys entered Friday’s match on a 16-match win streak, having won the Australian Open and the Adelaide title the week before. This made Sabalenka’s victory even more significant, marking her 20th career win over a top-five player.

“I didn’t expect this match to be that fast, to be honest, but I’m super happy with the way I played today,” she said afterward.

Teenage sensation Mirra Andreeva awaits Sabalenka in the final, coming off a grueling win over world No. 2 Iga Świątek.

“That’s crazy, what she’s capable of at such a young age. It’s impressive to see,” Sabalenka said when asked about her thoughts on Andreeva.

“It kind of feels like an old mama playing against a kid, you know!”

Although Sabalenka certainly wasn’t playing like an “old mama” on Friday, we’ll see how she fares on championship Sunday.