The unbelievable mishap during the champion's coronation moment at Indian Wells

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka brilliantly defeated Elena Rybakina to claim her first title at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells (USA). However, the Belarusian star's moment of glory was "interrupted" by an incredible incident when the host mispronounced her name right during the trophy ceremony.

In the final held on Sunday, Sabalenka rallied to win 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (6) against Rybakina after a tense battle. This is the first title for the 27-year-old player at the prestigious WTA 1000 event in the California desert, a tournament often regarded as the "fifth Grand Slam" in tennis.

However, immediately after the match ended and Sabalenka stepped onto the court for the trophy ceremony, the on-court host introduced her as "Aryna Sa-blanka" instead of Sabalenka.

Nevertheless, the world's top-ranked player seemed not too bothered by this mistake. Sabalenka still flashed a radiant smile as she stepped forward to receive the Indian Wells championship trophy.

Before clinching the title this year, Sabalenka had twice missed out on the Indian Wells championship, only securing runner-up positions in 2023 and 2025. It was only in her third appearance in the final that she could ascend to the top podium.

The final took place under harsh weather conditions in the California desert, with temperatures exceeding 30°C (approximately over 90°F). Sabalenka closed out the match with a powerful serve that forced Rybakina's return wide.

However, the Belarusian player's victory was far from easy. In the deciding set, Sabalenka had an opportunity to finish the match when leading 5-4 but lost her serve. Later in the tie-break, Rybakina even had a championship point, but Sabalenka unleashed a decisive backhand winner to turn the tables.

This final marked the 16th encounter between Sabalenka and Rybakina. With this latest win, Sabalenka improved her head-to-head record to 9 wins and 7 losses against the Kazakh player. Previously, Rybakina had defeated Sabalenka in the Indian Wells 2023 final, as well as at the WTA Finals in 2025 and the Australian Open earlier this year.

In an interview with Tennis Channel, the world No. 1 stated she entered the match aiming to maintain strong mental fortitude.

"I think the most important thing when entering the match is to be really strong mentally, always keep the determination and show through body language that I'm here to fight," Sabalenka said. "You have to play great tennis to win, and that was my idea coming into this match. I'm very happy it worked out."

The Indian Wells title marks another memorable milestone in Sabalenka's successful phase. Recently, she also welcomed a new puppy and received an engagement ring from Brazilian businessman Georgios Frangulis. However, the 27-year-old player doesn't have much time to celebrate. On Sunday evening, she is scheduled to fly to compete in the Miami Open, where she is the defending champion.