Aryna Sabalenka vs. Himeno Sakatsume | 2026 Indian Wells Round 2 | WTA Match Highlights

What do you think Sakasumi has to do early on here to see Sabalenka there with a little trouble with the toss waited for Sabalenka at the net nice passing shot there from her young career yeah good point there from Sakasumi started with the serve well that's a fun point Sabalenka well constructed point there nice serve down the tee and getting her opponent out wide and then Sabalenka getting a little bit lucky there Sakasumi against the top 10 player oh nice volley very nicely done perfectly placed she played well in this opening set but even when you play well you have to be even better when you play Irina Sabalenka so Sabalenka's first match since the Australian Open she's halfway to the third round she takes the opener 6-4 in 38 minutes that it's good for her to to be relaxed on the court actually but she lost a few points because of that but in the end it just goes slightly long so another break point chance here for world number one and there is the break passing shot from Sabalenka so a break in the first game of the opening set unforced error the winner in this set 5-4 Sabalenka just teeing up that forehand there very accurate oh what a point by Sakasumi the BNP Paribas Open just dropped in and that's it Irina Sabalenka wins her eighth straight opening match at a WTA 1000 event as she gets past the qualifier from Japan Tamino Sakasumi put in a good effort especially in the first set not broken in the first game but it was Sabalenka just too much the world number one victorious at Indian Wells the two-time finalist successful as she gets past the qualifier 6-4 6-2