Sabalenka wins to set up another Rybakina final

· BBC Sport
Aryna Sabalenka has won 16 of her 17 matches this seasonGetty Images

ByBen Ramsdale
BBC Sport journalist
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Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina will meet in a final for the third time in just over four months at Indian Wells on Sunday.

World number one Sabalenka eased past Czech Linda Noskova 6-3 6-4, while Rybakina saw off Ukraine's Elina Svitolina 7-5 6-4 in California.

"It feels great," Sabalenka said. "I've lost a couple of finals here, so I'll make sure that I'm more than ready on Sunday.

"I'll bring my best tennis and this is the year."

World number three Rybakina has won four of their five meetings in finals, most recently at the WTA Finals in November and the Australian Open in January.

"I'm going to fight as much as I can. Hopefully it's going to be a great match," said Kazakh player Rybakina, who beat Sabalenka in the Indian Wells final in 2023.

Sunday's final will mark Belarusian Sabalenka's 14th WTA 1,000 final.

Sabalenka on controversial Draper hindrance call

Sabalenka said players should stop proceedings immediately and call for a video review for hindrance, following Daniil Medvedev's dispute with Jack Draper in the quarter-finals.

Briton Draper was penalised with a controversial hindrance call, after which Russian Medvedev was booed by some fans.

At 5-5 in the first set, Draper briefly stretched his arms out wide during a rally to signal he thought Medvedev's forehand had gone long.

The rally continued for another seven shots before Medvedev netted a backhand.

Two-time Indian Wells finalist Medvedev then asked umpire Aurelie Tourte for a video review to see whether Draper had been guilty of hindrance - making an action or noise to disturb an opponent.

After watching the replay several times on her tablet, Tourte told Draper she was ruling against him as "you did something different in the rally than you would normally do" and awarded Medvedev the point.

Sabalenka said the fact a point can be concluded before asking for a review is wrong.

"What I think is really awkward is you can finish the point and then ask for that," she said.

"If you really got bothered, then you should stop immediately and ask for the video review.

"If he would have won the point, he wouldn't probably ask for the video review, right? I don't really think that's the way it should be.

"He made the move, but I don't think it bothered Daniil that much."

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