Victoria Mboko is a rising star who is tied for the WTA’s lead in Top 10 wins in 2026, but the 19-year-old Canadian still can’t solve World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.

The pair’s second meeting in three months was an engaging battle that showed off all the tools of the young Canadian, but it eventually went the way of a determined Sabalenka on a balmy, cloudless Thursday in Tennis Paradise, 7-6(0), 6-4.

“She’s a future star, a future Grand Slam champion, that's for sure — no doubt about that,” Sabalenka said of Mboko after the win. “It's incredible to see these young girls these days, how great they are. They are aggressive, they go for their shots and they fight. It's incredible to see.”

Mboko went on the attack early in a contest that was punchy from the start, as both players wiggled out of trouble in the first six games, with six break points going begging — three for each player.

Through six more games neither player had budged, and that was Sabalenka’s cue to dominate. The WTA’s resident tiebreak queen — she holds the all-time record for consecutive tiebreaks won at the Grand Slams — wasted no time in the breaker.

A perfectly angled backhand crosscourt winner gave Sabalenka six set points, and the set ended on the first when Mboko dumped a backhand into the net.

A loose backhand, lifted long, gave Sabalenka the first break of the second set for 3-2, and the two-time runner-up made it hold up.

Mboko did challenge in the eighth game of the second set, when she earned her first break points since the third game of the match, but Sabalenka had the answer and soon slammed the door shut, completing her 19th career Indian Wells win (19-6 overall) and improving to 15-1 in 2026.

Sabalenka converted one of eight break points on the day and saved all five break points she faced. The big points have long been Sabalenka’s dominion, and on this day they were the difference once again.

Sabalenka will attempt to reach her third final on Friday, facing the winner of this afternoon’s clash between Linda Noskova and Talia Gibson.