Navratilova Predicts WTA Star to Triumph at Indian Wells

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova shares her pick for the 2026 Indian Wells Open champion.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Martina Navratilova has made her prediction for the winner of the 2026 Indian Wells Open on the WTA Tour. The 18-time Grand Slam champion believes either Aryna Sabalenka or Elena Rybakina will triumph at the prestigious tournament, with Sabalenka currently holding an 11-1 record for the season so far.

Why it matters

Navratilova's pick carries significant weight given her status as one of the all-time tennis greats. Her analysis of the current WTA landscape and the top contenders for the Indian Wells title provides valuable insight for fans and media ahead of the highly anticipated tournament.

The details

Navratilova highlighted Sabalenka and Rybakina as the "clear frontrunners" for the Indian Wells title, noting their recent success and the potential for them to reach the level of ATP stars Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. She also mentioned Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek as potential dark horses, with Swiatek looking to "play for revenge" after her recent struggles.

  • The 2026 Indian Wells Open qualifiers are already underway, with the main draw action set to begin on March 4.
  • Sabalenka has an 11-1 record so far in 2026, including a title at the Brisbane International.

The players

Aryna Sabalenka

A Belarusian professional tennis player who has reached eight Grand Slam finals, winning four of them.

Elena Rybakina

A Kazakhstani professional tennis player who has a 2-1 record in Grand Slam finals.

Coco Gauff

An American professional tennis player who has a 2-1 record in Grand Slam finals.

Iga Swiatek

A Polish professional tennis player who remains unbeaten in her six Grand Slam final appearances.

Martina Navratilova

A former professional tennis player who won 18 Grand Slam singles titles and is considered one of the greatest players of all time.

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What they’re saying

“You still have to go with [Aryna] Sabalenka because she's got the weapons.”

— Martina Navratilova, Tennis legend (WTA website)

“Right now, the way everything is going, if [Elena] Rybakina is fully healthy, they are the top two players, clear frontrunners.”

— Martina Navratilova, Tennis legend (WTA website)

“Knowing her, Sabalenka is hoping she's going to play Rybakina at some point.”

— Martina Navratilova, Tennis legend (WTA website)

What’s next

The 2026 Indian Wells Open main draw action is set to begin on March 4, with the qualifiers already underway.

The takeaway

Navratilova's prediction highlights the current dominance of Sabalenka and Rybakina on the WTA Tour, and the potential for an epic showdown between the two stars at the prestigious Indian Wells tournament.