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\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Elena Rybakina<\/strong><\/a> is the champion! <\/p>\n The 23-year-old tennis player from Kazakhstan defeated 24-year-old Aryna Sabalenka<\/strong><\/a> from Belarus in the final during the BNP Paribas Open on Sunday (March 19) in Indian Wells, Calif.<\/p>\n Elena <\/strong>won in two straight sets, 7-6(11), 6-4 to win her first WTA 1000. She was able to avenge her defeat from January, when No. 2 ranked Aryna<\/strong> won over Elena <\/strong>at the Australian Open. <\/p>\n Keep reading to find out more\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n On Friday, Elena<\/strong> won over No. 1 ranked player Iga Swiatek<\/strong> from Poland also in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2.<\/p>\n Elena<\/strong> has now climbed the WTA rankings to No. 7! She would have placed even higher after winning the Wimbledon Grand Slam in August 2022 but wasn\u2019t awarded any ranking points. (The All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club decided to ban Russian and Belarusian players from taking part in the event, which led to the ATP and WTA stripping the Major of its ranking points.)<\/p>\n Bill Gates<\/strong><\/a> and Pink<\/strong><\/a> were in the stands to watch the nail-biter of a match! Pictured in the gallery are Elena<\/strong>\u2019s top tier coach Stefano Vukov<\/strong> and older sister Anna<\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n