Aryna Sabalenka ready to offer share of Indian Wells prize money to Sky Sports pundit | Tennis | Sport

Aryna Sabalenka is ready and willing to share her Indian Wells prize money with tennis legend Martina Navratilova after branding the 18-time Major winner and Sky Sports pundit her “lucky charm” this week. The world No. 1 lifted the trophy in the Californian desert for the very first time in her career, saving a championship point in a decisive tiebreak to beat Elena Rybakina 3-6 6-3 7-6(6).

Since the beginning of 2025, Sabalenka has only lost three of the 25 tiebreaks she’s played. Earlier in the tournament, the 27-year-old told Navratilova that she had seen her before winning a breaker 7-0 against Victoria Mboko, and asked the Czech-American star to sit courtside for the remainder of her matches.

Navratilova was back in the courtside seat for Sunday’s final, providing mid-match insight for Sky Sports, and proved to be a good omen for Sabalenka, who won the last three points of the match to be crowned champion. Afterwards, fellow pundit Tim Henman joked that the No. 1 seed needed to share her prize money.

“That was really impressive, the way you kept it together emotionally, because it’s really hot, and you were still clearly thinking everything you wanted to do on the next point, that’s impressive,” Navratilova told the newly-crowned Indian Wells champion moments after the match.

“Yeah, that’s actually, I’m also impressed by that, to be honest. I wish I could be like that every match!” Sabalenka replied. And Henman pointed out that there might have been a reason Sabalenka won the match in a breaker. “You had your lucky charm in the tiebreak,” he said.

“I told you! I saw you there. Can you be there, please?” Sabalenka replied. Henman decided to try his own luck on Navratilova’s behalf, adding: “She was talking about percentage of prize money for the luck.”

But Sabalenka was happy to oblige, joking: “Yeah, we can negotiate it!” The Belarusian then left the Sky Sports team to move on to her next interview, as presenter Gigi Salmon jibed that Navratilova was now on “commission”.

“I’ll take whatever it is. I’ll take one per cent, whatever it is,” the retired star said. Navratilova will be on pundit duties again at the upcoming Miami Open, and Sabalenka will no doubt be glad to see her courtside in the Hard Rock Stadium.

It’s been a fortnight to remember for Sabalenka, who got engaged ahead of the tournament. Her boyfriend of two years, Georgios Frangulis, got down on one knee and popped the question in a romantic poolside setting days before the world No. 1’s opening match. Sabalenka, Frangulis, and the team also recently welcomed a new puppy, Ash, into the fold.

Now, Sabalenka has a maiden Indian Wells trophy and £870k ($1.1m) prize money to go with it. Maybe a little less if she strikes a deal with Navratilova.

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