Maria Sharapova returned to familiar surroundings at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, attending the women’s semifinal matches. A clip circulating on social media showed the five-time Grand Slam champion at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden during the semifinal day, as Aryna Sabalenka faced Linda Nosková and Elena Rybakina took on Elina Svitolina. Sharapova was a notable presence at a venue where she once lifted the trophy twice during her decorated career.
Maria Sharapova’s Connection With Indian Wells Spans More Than Two Decades
Sharapova’s connection to Indian Wells stretches back more than two decades. She first competed at the tournament in 2002 as a 14-year-old wildcard, opening her campaign with a victory over Brie Rippner before falling to Monica Seles in the second round. Over the years, the desert event became a regular stop on her schedule, although shoulder and forearm injuries occasionally interrupted her appearances.
Her breakthrough came in 2006 when she captured her first Indian Wells title, defeating Elena Dementieva in an all-Russian final. The victory arrived during one of the most dominant stretches of her career, a period that helped propel her to the World No. 1 ranking.
Sharapova remained a consistent contender at the tournament in the years that followed. She reached the semifinals in both 2005 and 2008 and returned in 2010 after missing the 2009 edition while recovering from major shoulder surgery.
Her second title came in 2013, one year after finishing runner-up to Victoria Azarenka. In that final, Sharapova produced a commanding performance against Caroline Wozniacki, winning 6-2, 6-2.
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The triumph carried additional significance because it marked her first tournament victory since completing the career Grand Slam at the 2012 French Open. Her final competitive appearance at Indian Wells came in 2018, when she faced then-rising Naomi Osaka in the first round. Osaka defeated Sharapova 6-4, 6-4, and the Russian star retired from professional tennis two years later in early 2020.
A short video clip of Sharapova arriving at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden began circulating on X shortly after the semifinal session. The Russian star was dressed in a white top paired with black trousers and sunglasses.
Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina Advance to Indian Wells Final
On the court, World No. 1 Sabalenka advanced to the final after defeating 14th seed Nosková 6-3, 6-4, continuing a strong 2026 campaign and reaching her third Indian Wells final in four years. She became the first World No. 1 to reach the Indian Wells final in consecutive years since the tournament’s inception in 1989.
In the second semifinal, Rybakina overcame Svitolina 7-5, 6-4 in a tightly contested match. Svitolina had entered the semifinal after pulling off a major upset against Iga Świątek, but Rybakina’s power from the baseline ultimately proved decisive.
The victory set up a high-profile championship clash between Sabalenka and Rybakina, revisiting their 2026 Australian Open final and their earlier title meeting at Indian Wells in 2023.
