An ascendant Aryna Sabalenka crushes Coco Gauff in just 64 minutes

HIGHLIGHTS: Sabalenka subdues Gauff, 6-4, 6-0

INDIAN WELLS, Calif.—To see a tennis player in action soon after that player wins a Grand Slam title for the first time is akin to watching an actor’s next film following an Oscar-winning performance. Our minds and eyes snap up in anticipation: What’s elevated this performer from excellent to magical? Can it happen again and again?

The participant knows this, too, and will conduct business in a manner that conveys new levels of confidence. Perhaps there’s a regal aura around the newly minted champion that can even appear processional. Or is that we as fans wish to see it that way, projecting our desire to witness royals over regulars? And does that craving, in turn, inspire the player?

Enough talk.

Take in the action—and the 64 minutes it took 2023 Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka to beat Coco Gauff, 6-4, 6-0 in the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open.

Breaking Gauff in the opening game at 15, Sabalenka smoothly asserted herself from start to finish; at first gradually, eventually swiftly. Though the two exchanged many flat drives back and forth across the court, there was little Gauff could do to break up Sabalenka’s hard, fast and penetrating tempo, a relentless series of crosscourt and down-the-line drives that controlled one rally after another.

“The first set I think was a high quality set from both of us,” said Gauff. “The second set I think it was a combination of her, you know—she didn’t give me any free points and I think I was also giving away free points and not hitting the ball as deep as I need to. Especially when you’re playing her, you’ve got to get the ball deep.”

Prior to this match, Gauff led their head-to-head 3-1, the most recent encounter a third-set tiebreaker victory last summer in Toronto. But when the Sabalenka saga is told years from now, the nuanced storyteller must divide her career into tennis before and after the 2023 Australian Open.

“I think I'm more calm on court,” Sabalenka said this afternoon about her transformation, “and I'm able to control my emotions, which help me to stay in the game no matter what, and just fight for every point, without losing my mind and without giving like easy points to opponents.”

Asked her thoughts on what’s made Sabalenka better, Gauff said, “Definitely obviously I think the biggest one is her serve. We already knew she had a great serve but the double faults less, and then her consistency has gotten a lot better.”

Sabalenka’s serve today was impeccable: five aces, no double faults, 26 of 30 points won on first serves, never once facing a break point.

Following her win in Melbourne, Sabalenka enjoyed four days of tennis-free life. Asked what moment during the sabbatical was most meaningful, she burst into laughter.

“Like straight after the title, we went back to the hotel and all my team was drunk. . . Everyone was so stressed during that weeks, I think it was normal to have a little drink. Yeah, I didn't drink.”

Can you blame her? After all, winning is even more intoxicating.