INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Aryna Sabalenka held off Victoria Mboko 7-6 (0), 6-4 in the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open on Thursday, preserving the top-ranked player in women’s tennis’ chances of winning her first title at Indian Wells.
Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev all reached the men’s semi-finals, with Medvedev benefiting from a late and contested comeback point in a 6-1, 7-5 win over defending champion Jack Draper.
Draper momentarily threw his arm out to the side to signal that Medvedev’s deep forehand might have gone long during the rally, but it ended a few shots later when Medvedev’s backhand went into the net. Already leading by one set, Medvedev asked referee Aurelie Tourte for a video review.
Tourte said Draper’s gesture was “something different from normal” under the rules and he felt compelled to award the point to Medvedev.
“Then we played two shots,” Draper coolly protested. “I’d understand if he missed the next ball, but he didn’t.”
The ruling left Medvedev 0-30 en route to the break, allowing him to serve out after one game.
Medvedev said he accepted any ruling by Tourte and only requested a reconsideration because the rules allowed it.
“I don’t feel good,” Medvedev told Draper on court immediately after the game. Draper told Medvedev that he “won the match fair and square,” but did not think his gesture distracted Medvedev enough to merit recognition.
Medvedev will face either Carlos Alcaraz or Cameron Norrie on Saturday, while Sinner and Zverev will meet in the other men’s semi-final.
Sabalenka will face 14th-seeded Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic, who defeated unseeded Australian Talia Gibson 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, in Friday’s semifinal.
Sabalenka has not dropped a set in this tournament, but was pushed by No. 10 seed Mboko, a 19-year-old Canadian who won the 2025 Canadian Open, who won 6-1, 7-6 (1) in the fourth round of the Australian Open earlier this year.
“Today was a tough battle,” Sabalenka said. “I was satisfied with the level of play in the key moments of each set.
After winning all the points in the first set tiebreak, Sabalenka got the one break she needed to defeat Mboko in the second set.
Also advancing to the semi-finals for the second time at Indian Wells was ninth seed Elina Svitolina (Ukraine), who defeated second seed Iga Swiatek (Poland) 6-2, 4-6, 6-4.
In the third set, Svitolina broke for a 5-4 lead and continued to hold serve. She will face Elena Rybakina, who defeated American Jessica Pegula 6-1, 7-6 (4), on Friday.
Sinner hit 10 aces and defeated 25th seed Lerner Tien 6-1, 6-2. The second-seeded Italian team’s victory marks the end of the record for a 20-year-old American to become the youngest player to appear in the quarterfinals of an Indian Wells tournament since coach Michael Chang won the tournament in 1992.
Zverev completed 72% of his first serves in a 6-2, 6-3 victory over France’s Arthur Fils.
