Indian Wells preview: Can Eala find a different answer against Gauff?

INDIAN WELLS -- There was no rust evident in Aryna Sabalenka’s game when she began her 2026 BNP Paribas Open journey with a 6-4, 6-2 win over qualifier Himeno Sakatsume.

“Super happy with the level I played,“ Sabalenka said afterward. “Super happy to get this win. I haven't played for a while.”
Indeed, it had been five weeks since Sabalenka fell to Elena Rybakina in the Australian Open final. Sabalenka did not play the two WTA 1000s in the Middle East, but after arriving here in the desert, picked up a 12-carat diamond engagement ring.

Sabalenka is still only 27 but has already equaled Maria Sharapova with 136 match-wins in WTA 1000s, good for seventh place. Among active players, only Victoria Azarenka has more. Her opportunity for No. 137 comes against Jaqueline Cristian -- a 0-6, 6-2, 7-5 winner over No. 29 seed Maya Joint -- whom she’s never played.

On Sunday, she headlines a fabulous card that showcases some of the best and the brightest of the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz. No fewer than 11 Grand Slam singles titles are represented in eight third-round matches from the top half of the draw, featuring some enticing matchups:

Gauff-Eala II

Seventeen days ago, Coco Gauff handled Alexandra Eala 6-0, 6-2 in Dubai.

“To be living my dreams and playing in Indian Wells with a lot of people supporting me is something I’ve dreamed of since I was young,” Eala said upon arrival here. “I would love to play her again. I think she’s an incredible athlete and an incredible person and she’s a role model for a reason.”

Wish granted. The 20-year-old phenomenon from the Philippines meets the 21-year-old Gauff with an opportunity to show what she learned from their first meeting. Eala is coming off a gritty three-set win over Dayana Yastremska, while Gauff was a 6-3, 7-6 (5) winner over qualifier Kamilla Rakhimova.

Gauff played a terrific tiebreak -- she’s the only woman to win all four extra sessions this year and is 59-30 for her career -- but she’ll need to clean up a balky forehand and the 10 double faults she suffered against Rakhimova.

Eala -- who memorably defeated Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, Paula Badosa and Iga Swiatek on the way to the Miami semifinals a year ago -- has already developed some big-game experience.

“It’s not my first huge match,” Eala said. “I think it's definitely going to be a tough one. I'm expecting a big crowd to rally behind her just because she’s amazing.”

Advantage, Anisimova or Raducanu?

Emma Raducanu and Amanda Anisimova have played three times in their careers, all of them last year. Raducanu won the first two, but Anisimova prevailed 6-2, 6-1 in Montreal. The 24-year-old American was in the midst of a torrid summer streak when she reached the finals at Wimbledon and the US Open.

“Last time I faced her I was just playing really well,” Anisimova said. “I played the way I wanted to play. At the end of the day, I mean, there is a certain way I like to play. I think I also had found my rhythm.

“Yeah, it was a great match. She's not an easy opponent to face. She always brings high-quality tennis. Hoping for another good one.”

Anisimova had a rough opening set in her match against Anna Blinkova, but after she adjusted to the breezy conditions and settled down, won it 5-7, 6-1, 6-0.

Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, is 7-6 for the season after a definitive 6-1, 6-3 win over qualifier Anastasia Zakharova.

A Tennis Garden rematch

We saw this matchup almost exactly one year ago, when Camila Osorio defeated Naomi Osaka 6-4, 6-4 in a first-round match here. Osaka won their only other meeting four years ago at the Australian Open.

Speaking of which, Osaka was unhappy with this year’s performances Down Under. After needing three sets to defeat Antonia Ruzic and Sorana Cirstea, she granted a walkover to Maddison Inglis after a left abdominal injury. Her 7-5, 6-2 first-round win over qualifier Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva was only her fifth match of the year.

“I was really disappointed,” Osaka told reporters. “I feel like every year I go through that specific injury. But, yeah, I'm just grateful to be out here and be playing. Last year I didn't do too well here, so I think I already exceeded the previous year.”
Osorio was an upset first-round winner over rising star and No. 18 seed Iva Jovic, 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3.

Mboko’s ahead of the curve

She’s only 19, but the Canadian has already cracked the Top 10, and while it’s a small sample, she’s been historically impressive in WTA 1000 events. Mboko won all seven matches last year in Montreal and reached the recent final in Doha.

That gave her 15 match-wins in her first six 1000s. Since 1990, only four teenagers have claimed more wins from their opening 20 matches at Tier I/WTA-1000 events -- and their names are Monica Seles (19), Bianca Andreescu (18), Serena Williams (17) and Jennifer Capriati (16).

“Everyone is good,” Mboko explained. “Everyone wants to, of course, beat you. I feel like anything can happen. It's not like I expect to win every single tournament every single week, and that's almost quite impossible.

“I just take it week by week. If it's not my week, then you just move on.”

The No. 10 seed defeated Kimberly Birrell 6-4, 7-6 (5) and faces No. 23 Anna Kalinskaya, a 6-4, 7-6 (4) winner over Zeynep Sonmez. Mboko has won both of their previous matches, including a three-setter earlier this year on the way to the Adelaide final.