Sabalenka downs Muchova to win WTA Finals opener

Former world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka secured a commanding victory over Karolina Muchova in the opening match of the WTA Finals in Indian Wells on Monday, propelling herself to a winning start in the season-ending tournament. Sabalenka, who has suffered defeats in the 2022 and 2025 finals, battled through to triumph 7-6 (7/2), 7-5 in under two hours.

The Belarusian player looked vulnerable after dropping a break of serve early on, trailing 5-4 in the first set. However, she quickly regrouped, breaking back immediately to level the set at 5-5 and capitalizing on a tie-break 7-2 to assert her dominance. Despite Muchova's resilience, Sabalenka maintained her composure, breaking serve once more in the second set to lead 6-5.

She sealed the match by delivering a powerful backhand to net Muchova's attempt, marking a crucial moment in her pursuit of a maiden WTA Finals title. This encounter marked the first of two matches held that day, with third seed Mirra Andreeva facing off against Elina Svitolina later in the day. Originally intended for Saudi Arabia, the WTA Finals were relocated to Indian Wells following US military strikes on Iran in February and the ensuing regional conflict.