Elena Rybakina climbs career-high after defeating Jessica Pegula to reach Indian Wells semifinals

Elena Rybakina has stormed into the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells on Thursday with a commanding 6-1, 7-6(4) victory over fifth-seeded Jessica Pegula. The win not only marked her first semifinal appearance at the tournament since claiming the title in 2023 but also guaranteed the Kazakh star a career-high world No. 2 ranking in the WTA standings effective Monday. 

Elena Rybakina extends hot streak; claims career-high spot after beating Jessica Pegula at Indian Wells

Rybakina, the reigning Australian Open champion, dominated the opening set in just 27 minutes before holding off a resilient Pegula in a tight second-set tiebreak. The result comes amid a strong 2026 season for Rybakina, who entered the quarterfinals with an impressive 12-3 record and has now extended her dominance against top-10 opponents. 

Pegula's defeat ended her bid for an eighth consecutive WTA semifinal, dating back to the 2025 US Open. Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek's earlier exit from the tournament opened the door for Rybakina to overtake the Pole for the No. 2 spot, signaling a significant shift at the top of women's tennis.

Rybakina's powerful serve and baseline aggression were on full display against Pegula, reinforcing her status as one of the tour's most formidable players on hard courts. She now advances to face Elina Svitolina in the semifinals, with the potential to build further momentum toward another deep run in the desert.

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