Two of the best will meet in the WTA Indian Wells final, when Aryna Sabalenka clashes with Elena Rybakina. This will be the sixth final between the two of them, and their 18th overall match. Did I mention one of those finals was here at WTA Indian Wells? It was in 2023, and Rybakina won in straight sets. Join us as we break down the best bets for each player. We’re happy to share our action, but we want to hear about your picks. If you have thoughts or bets to share, then please place them in the comments section.
WTA Indian Wells Final
Sabalenka – Rybakina: March 15th, 2026 10:00
H2H: 9-8
Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka have an incredibly rich rivalry, as we’ve barely begun to cover in the introduction. Whenever these two meet, something important is at stake. They’ve played in a final five times, including once at Indian Wells. Rybakina won four of them, including the Australian Open in 2026, the 2025 WTA Finals, 2024 Brisbane, and the aforementioned title at Indian Wells in ’23. You have to go back to the 2023 WTA Australian Open to find Sabalenka’s only final victory.
This is the second final of Rybakina’s season. She beat Sabalenka earlier this year in the final at the WTA Australian Open, and has made at least the round of 16 in every tournament since. Rybakina is 17-3 in ’26. She knows she can beat Sabalenka, and she’s got a history of beating her in finals. She’s also a career 5-5 against Sabalenka on a hardcourt.
Aryna Sabalenka is the benchmark for women’s tennis. She’s been the No. 1 player in the World for over 70 total career weeks. Her most recent reign began on October 21, 2024, over 60 consecutive weeks. She lost once in 2026, to Rybakina. We’ve already covered the match a couple of times here, so we’ll skip it from Sabalenka’s perspective. She was also a finalist at Indian Wells last year. She lost that final to Mirra Andreeva in three sets. She was a 1.5-2.59 favorite in the match.
When it comes to Sabalenka, Rybakina is one of the few women who has the guts, talent, court sense, psychology, and belief in herself to beat her. Sabalenka is definitely good enough to do something about this. Even though Rybakina seems to have the better wins, it’s Sabalenka who has more wins. Sabalenka is also tied with her at five wins apiece on a hardcourt.
Best Bets to Make
Main Bet
The bet I would make here is Rybakina straight up at 2.2 on bet365. I’ve laid out plenty of good reasons to believe Rybakina will win in an upset. The odds are at least good enough to consider it. Both ladies have more than impressed. One thing to note as another possible option is Rybakina 2:0 at 3.7 on 1xBet, as Rybakina has only gone to a third set with Sabalenka on a hardcourt once in her career. If she’s going to win, it’s likely going to be in straight sets.
That being said, Rybakina winning is a value bet.
Value bet/the best odds: Rybakina winning @2.2 @bet365
Second Bet
If you’re going to bet on Sabalenka, there are two approaches to consider. She is 2-3 against Rybakina in their last five matches, as well as losing four of the last five finals. You can get Sabalenka straight at 1.67 on bet365. It’s not much, but it allows you to avoid picking a total number of games. Sabalenka 2:0 is also 2.6 on 1xBet, and that’s the way to go if you’re taking her in this match.
That being said, Sabalenka winning is a value bet.
Value bet/the best odds: Sabalenka winning @1.67 @bet365
Main Photo Credit: Mikala Compton-Imagn Images
