Top Seeds Clash as Sabalenka Faces Osaka at BNP Paribas Open

Upsets and 'crazy matches' mark the tournament as top players battle for the title.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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The BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells is heating up with a highly anticipated matchup between world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and former No. 1 Naomi Osaka. Other notable matches include American Amanda Anisimova vs. Canada's Victoria Mboko, and a surprise upset as defending champion Mirra Andreeva was knocked out by Katerina Siniakova. On the men's side, American Learner Tien faces Spain's Alejandro Davidovich, and other top seeds like Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, and Felix Auger-Aliassime are also in action.

Why it matters

The BNP Paribas Open is one of the premier tennis tournaments outside of the Grand Slams, and the matchups and upsets seen so far have captivated the tennis world. The clash between Sabalenka and Osaka is particularly intriguing, as the two former No. 1 players look to make their mark on the tournament.

The details

In the women's draw, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka will take on former No. 1 Naomi Osaka in a highly anticipated matchup. Osaka praised Sabalenka's consistency and said she is "excited" and "looking forward" to the match. On the men's side, American Learner Tien, seeded 25th, will face 18th-seeded Alejandro Davidovich of Spain. Tien discussed handling the pressure of being a favorite. Other notable matches include Jannik Sinner vs. Joao Fonseca, Alexander Zverev vs. Frances Tiafoe, and Felix Auger-Aliassime vs. Arthur Fils.

  • The BNP Paribas Open is currently underway and will conclude on Sunday.
  • The Sabalenka vs. Osaka match will take place on Tuesday.
  • Defending champion Mirra Andreeva was upset by Katerina Siniakova on Monday.

The players

Aryna Sabalenka

The world No. 1-ranked women's tennis player from Belarus.

Naomi Osaka

A former world No. 1 women's tennis player from Japan who has won four Grand Slam titles.

Learner Tien

A 20-year-old American tennis player who is seeded 25th at the BNP Paribas Open and currently ranked 27th in the world.

Alejandro Davidovich

A Spanish tennis player who is seeded 18th at the BNP Paribas Open and ranked 19th in the ATP men's singles rankings.

Mirra Andreeva

The 18-year-old Russian tennis player who was the defending champion at the BNP Paribas Open before being upset in the tournament.

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What they’re saying

“For me, it's really exciting. I have watched her, I don't want to say 'grow over the years' because I think she's only a little bit younger than me and I feel like an old person, but yeah, I have watched her grow over the years.”

— Naomi Osaka (Patch.com)

“Well, it would be for sure a fashion show at the beginning. Then a crazy match. She's a great player. Came back after pregnancy. Incredible shape. I have been watching her matches, really admire her.”

— Aryna Sabalenka (Patch.com)

“I can say that there were a lot of emotions that I was going through after the loss. But of course I'm not really proud of how I managed it. I'm not really proud of how I handled it in the end.”

— Mirra Andreeva (Patch.com)

“I think once the match starts, like I said, you're just out there trying to adapt to what's happening. Rankings and previous matches go out the window. You're just trying to work through the current match. Whether I'm a favorite or whether I'm not, I just go out there and I just try to compete as hard as I can.”

— Learner Tien (Patch.com)

“It's amazing. Every time we warm up, every time we go to the practice court or the players' lawn, in this case I'm just feeling really loved here. I love it here in Indian Wells. I love the people, I love the vibe, I love everything here at Indian Wells.”

— Carlos Alcaraz (Patch.com)

What’s next

The quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open will take place on Wednesday, with world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz facing 13th-seeded Casper Ruud.

The takeaway

The BNP Paribas Open has already delivered high drama and unexpected results, with top seeds like Mirra Andreeva suffering early upsets. The tournament continues to captivate tennis fans with marquee matchups between the sport's biggest stars, showcasing the depth and competitiveness of the women's and men's games.