Aryna Sabalenka won her first match since the Australian Open, defeating Himeno Sakatsume at Indian Wells.

World No. 1 tennis player Aryna Sabalenka won her first match since the Australian Open final, defeating Japanese qualifier Himeno Sakatsume 6-4, 6-2 in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. The Belarusian, who received a first-round bye, made her debut with her engagement ring, revealing she was surprised by a proposal from Brazilian businessman Georgios Frangulis during a dinner in Indian Wells. Sabalenka dominated the match, winning 80% of her first-serve points and avoiding break points. She will next face Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian, who advanced after defeating Australia’s Maya Joint. Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka, and Camila Osorio also progressed, while top players Ekaterina Alexandrova, Diana Shnaider, and Xinyu Wang were eliminated.