World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open after defeating Victoria Mboko 7-6(7-0), 6-4 in the quarterfinals on March 13 amid soaring temperatures. In her post-match interview, the Belarusian urged spectators to stay hydrated and praised her young opponent's potential as a future Grand Slam champion.
The BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells has faced sharply rising temperatures as the tournament progresses, with triple-digit heat forecast for later stages. On March 13, 2026, Aryna Sabalenka secured her sixth consecutive WTA semifinal by overcoming 10th seed Victoria Mboko 7-6(0), 6-4 in a testing quarterfinal at Tennis Paradise.
Mboko, the 19-year-old Canadian making her Indian Wells debut, pushed the first set to a tiebreaker with aggressive play. Sabalenka responded emphatically, winning it 7-0—a first in her career—and then broke to lead in the second set, holding firm for the victory despite a late fightback. The win denied Mboko a potential historic fifth top-10 victory and the first by a Canadian woman over a world No. 1.
In her on-court interview, Sabalenka addressed the crowd about the brutal conditions: “It’s really tricky to prepare yourself for these conditions because they go up and down, and today is a very hot day. So, guys, please stay hydrated. Put some extra salt in your drinks. We don’t want to see you guys passing out here in the crowd. So, stay hydrated.” She shared player strategies: “We drink a lot of water. We try to manage our energy. And lucky me, I go out here, and I’m able to physically be ready to compete in these conditions.”
This warning came days after an umpire paused Casper Ruud's match against Alexander Shevchenko due to a medical issue in the stands, highlighting the heat's impact on players and fans.
Sabalenka praised Mboko's growth in serving, confidence, and aggression since their Melbourne clash: “I see how aggressive she is, how passionate she is, how much she’s fighting on court, and never giving up. I see this as a future Grand Slam champion, for sure.” She noted her own satisfaction despite some inconsistencies: “I'm happy with the win, even though a couple of things weren't really working well today. I still managed to win though. I don't think she broke me."
Sabalenka, a finalist at Indian Wells in 2023 and 2025, now faces Linda Nosková in the semifinals. The Czech advanced by beating Talia Gibson 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, reaching her second WTA 1000 semifinal and first here.
