Aryna Sabalenka vs. Linda Noskova, Elena Rybakina vs. Elina Svitolina: Preview, Prediction & Where to Watch

Aryna Sabalenka vs. Linda Noskova

Where to Watch: Tennis Channel app (Stream Link)

There are 13 places in the rankings between these two: Sabalenka is No. 1, Noskova is No. 14. But that pales in comparison to the gap between their levels of fame.

Sabalenka is one of the most active and personable social-media presences in the sport, and after watching her for close to a decade, we know all of her many facial expressions by heart. Noskova, meanwhile, may be the WTA’s quietest contender. The 21-year-old Czech hasn’t done a press conference since October, and the four players nearest her in the rankings—Madison Keys, Naomi Osaka, Karolina Muchova, Belinda Bencic—are much better known.

At the start of Indian Wells, looking at Noskova’s draw, I wondered if it was finally time for that to change. Her semifinal run—which includes a 6-2, 6-0 demolition of Alex Eala in a night match—won’t make her a household name, but it’s a start. Her ball-striking is too clean and powerful to stay out of the spotlight, or the Top 10, forever.

Now all eyes will be on her as she takes on Sabalenka in a 1000-level semifinal. They’ve played once, on hard courts in 2023, and Sabalenka won 6-3, 7-6 (4). After taking care of two Top 20 opponents, Naomi Osaka and Victoria Mboko, in straight sets this week, she’ll be the clear favorite again.

Noskova has a couple of reasons to be hopeful.

One is her own baseline power. She may not be able to match Sabalenka’s mix of topspin and pace, but she can hit a flat bullet from either side, and, possibly, take the initiative from her opponent.

That could trigger the other reason for Noskova to have hope: the later in a tournament it gets, the more chance there is of Sabalenka letting her nerves and emotions sabotage her. The semifinals are pretty late. Winner: Sabalenka

Elena Rybakina vs. Elina Svitolina

Where to Watch: Tennis Channel app (Stream Link)

Don’t tell Svitolina not to sweat the small stuff. She says that’s exactly what has her off to a 19-3 start this season.

These days, she and her coaches scour her statistics and pore over video of her matches, looking for any tiny edge they can find, or adjustment they can make.

“I have my team there to really give me all this information, and then I had time to work on few things, on the serve, on the return,” she says. “It’s these small differences, they work, and that’s what makes the difference between being consistent and having good week here and

there.”

Svitolina’s most recent win, in three sets over Iga Swiatek on Thursday, was a good example of two of her improvements: (1) She went on the attack, rather than responding to Swiatek; and (2) she played with self-assured in the latter stages of a close first set, against a higher-ranked opponent. It was Svitolina who played like the favorite.

That high-level quarterfinal win gives her a chance for another, against Rybakina, in the semifinals. The two are 3-3; Svitolina won their only meeting on hard courts, and also won their most recent match, in Madrid last spring.

Still, Rybakina will be favored. She’s had an even better last few months than Svitolina, going 16-3 in 2026, while winning last year’s WTA Finals and this year’s Australian Open. She also won Indian Wells in 2023, and she’s coming off an impressive win over an in-form Jessica Pegula on Thursday.

We know how good Rybakina can be. We’re still finding out how high Svitolina can climb this year. I’ll take the known quantity, until proven otherwise. Winner: Rybakina