March 4, 2026<\/a><\/p>\nDuring the photo shoot, David Renker, Senior Vice President of Eisenhower Health, was seen putting his arm behind Rybakina.<\/p>\n
The Kazakhstani champ was seen politely nudging Renker\u2019s hand away as the cameras kept rolling.<\/p>\n
After Rybakina flashed a quick look in his direction, Renker took a step backwards at the same time another trophy presenter also stepped back from his position alongside Fritz.<\/p>\n
Eisenhower Health senior vice president David Renker (r.) puts his arm behind Elena Rybakina (second from r.) after she and Taylor Fritz (second from l.) won a mixed doubles event at Indian Wells on March 3, 2026. X\/@nick_ally1986<\/p>\n
The incident has sparked a social media storm with footage spreading across cyberspace.<\/p>\n
A clip on Reddit caused a storm of comments while one video shared on X went viral before it was taken down.<\/p>\n
Rybakina was all smiles after the ceremony and celebrated the victory with a post on Instagram of herself and Fritz holding their trophies aloft.<\/p>\n
Elena Rybakina (second from r.) reaches behind her to remove the hand of Eisenhower Health senior vice president David Renker (r.) at Indian Wells on March 3, 2026. X\/@nick_ally1986<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m super happy. Hopefully I can do the same thing in singles,\u201d Rybakina said afterwards.<\/p>\n
She will begin her campaign at tennis\u2019 so-called \u201cfifth grand slam\u201d in the California desert on Saturday.<\/p>\n
All the big names are playing the ATP and WTA Masters 1000 tournament, including Aryna Sabalenka, Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.<\/p>\n
Eisenhower Health senior vice president David Renker (r.) removes his hand from behind Elena Rybakina (second from r.) at Indian Wells on March 3, 2026. X\/@nick_ally1986<\/p>\n
Spain\u2019s Alcaraz, 22, made history last month when he lifted the Australian Open title to become the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam.<\/p>\n
He won the Qatar Open to arrive stateside riding a 12-match winning streak to start the year.<\/p>\n
The top seed could face a tricky second-round opener against either former world No. 3 Grigor Dimitrov or in-form left-hander Terence Atmane, with third-seeded Djokovic also looming in his half of the draw.<\/p>\n
Sinner will play either Australian James Duckworth or Czech qualifier Dalibor Svrcina, who faced off Thursday as first-round action got underway.<\/p>\n
Women\u2019s world No. 1 Sabalenka is also chasing a first Indian Wells title, having fallen in last year\u2019s final to Russian teen Mirra Andreeva and in 2023 to Rybakina \u2014 who beat Sabalenka in the Australian Open final to claim a second Grand Slam crown.<\/p>\n
Sabalenka, back in action for the first time since that Australian Open disappointment, will open her campaign against either Japanese qualifier Himeno Sakatsume or U.S. wild card Alycia Parks, with Japanese star Naomi Osaka and hard-hitting American Anisimova in her quarter.<\/p>\n
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