World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and rising Filipina star Alexandra Eala were all business on the practice courts at Indian Wells, trading heavy groundstrokes under the desert sun as they geared up for the BNP Paribas Open.
Both players were captured, sharpening their baseline patterns and timing, as preparation has shifted into final form.
Aryna Sabalenka and Alexandra Eala Fine-Tune Their Groundstrokes in the Desert
For Sabalenka, the mission is redemption and history. For Eala, it is about making a statement in her tournament debut.
Indian Wells is widely considered one of the most elite events outside the Grand Slams, often labeled the sport’s unofficial “fifth Major” for the strength of its field and its distinctive atmosphere.
Clips of the session were shared by the official BNP Paribas Open social media account, which posted footage of Sabalenka and Eala refining their groundstrokes on their respective practice courts in the days leading into the main draw.
Is 2026 the Year Sabalenka Finally Captures the Indian Wells Singles Crown?
Sabalenka’s relationship with Indian Wells has been a decade-long progression marked by near triumphs. Since her debut in 2018, when she reached the third round, the Belarusian has steadily evolved into one of the sport’s dominant hard-court forces. She improved to the Round of 16 in 2019 and claimed the doubles title that year alongside Elise Mertens, defeating Barbora Krejčíková and Katerina Siniaková in the final.
Yet the singles crown in Tennis Paradise has eluded her. She missed the 2021 edition and endured a second-round exit in 2022 as the No. 2 seed during a stretch when her serve wavered under pressure. Her breakthrough run came in 2023 when she advanced to her first Indian Wells singles final, only to fall in straight sets to Elena Rybakina in a tightly contested battle.
In 2024, she exited in the fourth round against Emma Navarro. Last season, despite entering as the top-ranked player and producing commanding wins over McCartney Kessler, Lucia Bronzetti, Sonay Kartal, Liudmila Samsonova, and Madison Keys, she finished runner-up again after a three-set loss to 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva. That near miss has only heightened the stakes for 2026. The Belarusian is the top seed and received a bye into the second round.
Eala, meanwhile, is preparing for her Indian Wells debut. She is seeded 31st in the draw and has received a bye into the second round. She recently concluded her Dubai Tennis Championships, where she defeated Hailey Baptiste (Walkover), sixth seed Jasmine Paolini, and Sorana Cîrstea en route to the quarterfinals, eventually losing 0-6, 2-6 to third seed Coco Gauff.
