INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) – Aryna Sabalenka triumphed over Victoria Mboko with a score of 7-6 (0), 6-4 in the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open on Thursday, positioning the top-ranked player in women’s tennis for her first title at Indian Wells.
In men’s singles, Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, and Daniil Medvedev secured their spots in the semifinals, with Medvedev’s progress marked by a controversial overturned point during his 6-1, 7-5 victory against defending champion Jack Draper.
Controversial Ruling in Medvedev’s Match
During a pivotal rally, Draper gestured that he believed Medvedev’s deep forehand had gone long, which prompted a video review requested by Medvedev, who was already leading by one set. Chair umpire Aurelie Tourte determined that Draper’s gesture was atypical and awarded the point to Medvedev.
Draper expressed his discontent, stating, “We played two shots afterwards. I get it if he missed the next ball, but he didn’t.” The disputed ruling placed Medvedev at 0-30, allowing him to secure a break and subsequently serve out the match.
Post-match, Medvedev acknowledged he would have accepted any decision made by Tourte but only sought the review as permitted by the rules. He remarked, “I don’t feel great” about the situation, while Draper conceded that Medvedev had won fairly, though he questioned the necessity of the review.
Upcoming Semifinal Matches
Medvedev is set to face either Carlos Alcaraz or Cameron Norrie in the semifinals, while Sinner and Zverev are scheduled to compete in the other men’s semifinal.
Sabalenka’s semifinal is slated for Friday against the 14th seed, Linda Noskova, who advanced by defeating unseeded Australian Talia Gibson with a score of 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.
Sabalenka’s Performance
Sabalenka has yet to lose a set in the tournament but faced a challenge from the 10th-seeded Mboko, a 19-year-old Canadian who previously won the 2025 Canadian Open. Earlier this year, Sabalenka had defeated Mboko 6-1, 7-6 (1) in the fourth round of the Australian Open.
Reflecting on her match, Sabalenka stated, “That was a tough battle today. Happy with the level I played in those key moments in each set.” She managed to secure the crucial break needed to win in two sets after winning every point in the first-set tiebreaker.
Other Semifinalists
Ninth-seeded Elina Svitolina also advanced to the semifinals, defeating second-seeded Iga Swiatek 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. Svitolina broke serve to lead 5-4 in the third set and successfully held serve to win the match. She will face Elena Rybakina, who triumphed over American Jessica Pegula 6-1, 7-6 (4).
Sinner’s impressive performance included serving 10 aces in his match against 25th-seeded Learner Tien, winning decisively 6-1, 6-2. This victory concluded the quarterfinal run of the youngest American player to reach this stage since his coach, Michael Chang, won the tournament in 1992.
Zverev showcased his skills by placing 72% of his first serves in play, leading to a 6-2, 6-3 victory over France’s Arthur Fils.