Aryna Sabalenka praises Elina Svitolina’s return after pregnancy before Indian Wells final against Elena Rybakina: “She’s incredible”

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is heading into the Indian Wells final in strong form, but the Belarusian made it clear she has deep respect for the players who nearly stood in her way. While speaking to reporters before the final lineup was officially confirmed, Sabalenka was asked about her potential opponents. One name that quickly came up was Elina Svitolina, whose impressive comeback to the top level has caught the attention of many across the WTA Tour. Although the final was eventually set to feature Elena Rybakina, Sabalenka still took a moment to praise Svitolina’s journey back to elite tennis. The Belarusian star spoke warmly about the Ukrainian’s level since returning after pregnancy, saying how inspiring it has been to watch her compete again on the biggest stages.

Aryna Sabalenka shares her admiration for Elina Svitolina

During the tennis interview, Sabalenka did not hide how impressed she has been by Svitolina’s level since her return to the tour. “Yeah, she’s incredible player. To be honest, to see the level she was able to bring on-court after pregnancy, that’s so inspiring and so cool to see. All of the matches we played against each other, it’s always been, like, really tough battles. It’s always been a show and a great level. If it’s going to be Elina, I’m also excited, because I know it’s going to be a battle and a show. I’m super excited,” she said,
The respect between the players comes from several tough matches they have played over the years. Their meetings have often been close battles, something Sabalenka mentioned while talking about the possible semifinal opponent. However, the final opponent turned out to be Rybakina, setting up another big clash between two of the most powerful players on the WTA Tour. The matchup also has recent history. Earlier this season at the Australian Open, Sabalenka beat Svitolina but later lost to Rybakina in the final.
Now, the Belarusian will get another chance to face the Kazakh star on one of tennis’ biggest stages. Sabalenka has had an impressive run to the Indian Wells final. The 27-year-old has moved through the draw without dropping a single set, beating several strong opponents along the way. Her campaign began with comfortable wins over Himeno Sakatsume and Jaqueline Cristian. She then faced Naomi Osaka in the round of 16. Many expected a tight match, but Sabalenka stayed in control and moved forward with confidence. She kept that momentum in the later rounds. Victoria Mboko challenged her early in the quarterfinal, but Sabalenka stayed calm in the tiebreak and took control. She then produced another strong performance against Linda Nosková to secure her place in the final.
For tennis fans, it promises to be another high-level battle between two of the most powerful forces in women’s tennis today.


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