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Elena Rybakina avenged her defeat in the Australian Open final by beating Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets to win the Indian Wells title.<\/span><\/p>\n After a 78-minute opening set, Kazakhstan’s Wimbledon champion Rybakina went on to win 7-6 (13-11) 6-4 for her maiden WTA 1000 triumph.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n It marks her first win over the world number two in five attempts.<\/span><\/p>\n In January, Belarusian Sabalenka beat Rybakina in three sets in Melbourne to win her first Grand Slam.<\/span><\/p>\n Sabalenka had dropped just one set en route to the Indian Wells final – her third this season – but under pressure from 10th seed Rybakina, the serving issues that plagued her last year returned as she hit 10 double faults in the first set alone.<\/span><\/p>\n Rybakina, who beat defending champion and world number one Iga Swiatek in the semi-finals, needed six set points – four of which were on her own serve – before she could edge ahead in a lengthy tie-break.<\/span><\/p>\n The second set proved a considerably quicker affair, as Moscow-born Rybakina broke Sabalenka’s serve to love in the first game.<\/span><\/p>\n After both players saw two break points apiece go begging, Rybakina went a double break up at 5-2 only for her opponent to break back in the next game.<\/span><\/p>\n But she served out the victory on her first match point and will rise to a career-high position of seventh when the world rankings update on Monday.<\/span><\/p>\n