Rybakina: "It has been a very tough battle against myself"
The Kazakh offered some curious arguments to explain the defeat in the 2026 Indian Wells final against Aryna Sabalenka.
Losing a final is never easy, and being just one point away from becoming champion does not diminish the distress. Elena Rybakina has nothing to blame herself for, having shown immense tennis at Indian Wells 2026, but she appeared visibly shaken in the press conference after losing to Aryna Sabalenka in an unforgettable match.
An exciting clash of titans was witnessed in the women's final of Indian Wells 2026, leaving every tennis fan with the feeling that the WTA circuit is experiencing a moment of splendor. Elena Rybakina fought bravely, and she has reasons to be optimistic for the future, although it's impossible to avoid a profound sadness after losing such a significant match where she even had a championship point and seemed superior to Aryna Sabalenka at times.
Rybakina's Explanation of her Defeat in the 2026 Indian Wells Final against Sabalenka
Assessment of her performance in the match
"There was a lot of equality, especially in the third set. It was like a game of Russian roulette; I don't think either of us did anything extraordinary to outshine the other and win. I started the match well, but my energy level dropped significantly in the second set. In the third, we were both dealing with the harsh conditions. We had to push ourselves to the limit, and it ended up falling her way. There's little more I can say," the Kazakh player said.
Concern about the impact of heat on her energy level
"I haven't quite adapted to the heat during these weeks because most of my matches were played in the evening session or on cooler days. I feel that the high temperatures affected me a lot today; I lost a lot of energy in the second set and gave confidence to Aryna. I should have performed better in that second set. I leave knowing that I did everything possible and even had a match point, but she reacted very well," she commented.
The most challenging aspect of facing Sabalenka
"I know her strengths and weaknesses; I prepared well for the match with my team, and both of us made adjustments in the return to try to neutralize each other's serve. It's clear that her serve is very good, and she can put a lot of spin on the balls, making it difficult to play against her. But I think the biggest battle for me today was with myself," concluded Elena Rybakina, who seems determined to challenge Aryna Sabalenka's dominance in women's tennis.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Rybakina: "Ha sido una batalla muy dura contra mí misma"