Japanese Qualifier Advances to Second Round

Indian Wells, CA – Himeno Sakatsume, a 24-year-traditional Japanese player, achieved a significant milestone on Tuesday, defeating Alycia Parks 6-4, 6-3 in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open. The victory marks Sakatsume’s first main draw win in a WTA 1000 tournament.

Sakatsume, who entered the tournament as a qualifier, demonstrated strong form throughout the match, securing breaks in both sets to gain the upper hand against the wildcard entrant, Parks.

Match Recap

The first set saw Sakatsume break Parks twice to establish a lead. In the second set, she continued her momentum, securing an early break to go up 3-0. Despite a brief challenge from Parks, who managed to break back in the seventh game, Sakatsume responded with another break in the eighth game to close out the match in one hour and 30 minutes.

Next Up: A Tough Test Against Sabalenka

Sakatsume’s impressive run continues as she prepares to face the top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka in the second round. This will be Sabalenka’s first match of the tournament, as top seeds receive a bye in the initial round.

Sakatsume’s Career Highlights

• Prize Money: $431,902 (as of March 5, 2026)
• Singles Career Record: 244–153
• Singles Titles: 8 ITF titles
• Doubles Career Record: 63–69
• Doubles Titles: 2 ITF titles