California, March 7. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka started her campaign at Indian Wells confidently, defeating Japanese qualifier Himeno Sakatsume 6-4, 6-2 in the first round.
The Belarusian, returning to competition after finishing as runner-up to Elena Rybakina at the Australian Open, looked sharp despite her absence from tournament play. Sabalenka dictated the pace with her aggressive serves and powerful groundstrokes against the 136th-ranked Sakatsume, who was contesting her first match against a top-20 opponent.
Sakatsume struggled with nerves early, losing her serve in the opening game. Although she managed to hold serve briefly, saving four break points in the fifth game, Sabalenka's power proved decisive. The Belarusian secured the only break she needed to win the first set before tightening her grip on the match.
After Sakatsume opened the second set with a hold, Sabalenka surged ahead, winning five consecutive games and wrapping up the match in 72 minutes without facing a single break point.
Elsewhere, fourth seed Coco Gauff overcame a tough challenge from Russian qualifier Kamilla Rakhimova to secure a 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) victory. Rakhimova, ranked 88th in the world, threatened to force a deciding set after building a two-break lead in the second set and serving for it three times. She even held a set point before the American rallied.
Gauff forced a tiebreak and held her nerve, winning the final three points after trailing 5-4. "I felt like if I could get into the tiebreaker, I have a pretty good tiebreak record," she said. "I knew the odds were in my favour when the tiebreaker started."
Former champion Naomi Osaka also progressed, beating Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva 7-5, 6-2 in one hour and 27 minutes. Osaka relied on her powerful baseline game to pull ahead after a tight opening set and will next face Colombia's Camila Osorio.
Osorio secured her place after a dramatic comeback against American teenager Iva Jovic. The Colombian fought back from a set down and saved three match points before sealing a 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3 victory in a grueling two hours and 39 minutes in front of a partisan home crowd.
