Tennis: Sabalenka surprises Jabeur in comeback win at WTA Finals
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Aryna Sabalenka returns a shot during her match against Ons Jabeur on day one of the WTA Finals on Oct 31, 2022.
PHOTO: USA TODAY SPORTS
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FORT WORTH, Texas – World No. 7 Aryna Sabalenka called it a “miracle” after she rallied from a set down to beat second-ranked Ons Jabeur on Monday, as round-robin play began at the season-ending WTA Finals.
Sabalenka shook off an error-strewn start to beat the Tunisian – a finalist at both Wimbledon and the US Open in 2022 – 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
“It’s the biggest win of the season for me,” said Sabalenka, who has endured a disappointing 2022 campaign.
“She played unbelievable and somehow another miracle happened for me and I was able to win this match.”
The Belarusian had to dig deep to improve her record against Jabeur to 3-1. The Tunisian, making her WTA Finals debut, was two points away from victory at 5-3 in the second-set tiebreak, and she had two chances to break for a 5-2 lead in the third.
But Sabalenka held on, breaking Jabeur at love to level the set at 4-4 and capturing the victory after 2 hours and 28 minutes when Jabeur netted a forehand on the first match point.
“I didn’t feel welcome on this court,” Sabalenka said of her early struggles.
“I couldn’t understand what was happening, the ball was bouncing too slow for me. Then in the second set, I kind of calmed down and tried to think what I had to do to win this match.”
The 24-year-old Sabalenka will next face Greece’s Maria Sakkari.
The world No. 5, aiming to improve on a semi-final appearance in the 2021 event, defeated third-ranked American Jessica Pegula 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-4) in the other Nancy Richey Group encounter.
In a rematch of the WTA Guadalajara final won by Pegula eight days earlier, she and Sakkari traded six service breaks in the opening set, with Pegula twice recovering a break before Sakkari put it away in the tiebreak.
After pocketing the first, Sakkari raced to a 3-0 lead in the second set before Pegula broke back to trim the deficit to 3-2. Pegula saved a pair of match points against her serve in the 12th game to force the tiebreak, the second with a stinging backhand winner.
Maria Sakkari reacts to winning the first set during her match on day one of the WTA Finals on Oct 31, 2022.
PHOTO: REUTERS
But Sakkari sealed it on her third opportunity when Pegula’s effort found the net.
“It’s never easy against Jess,” said Sakkari, who improved to 4-2 against the American.
“She’s an amazing player. She’s very confident right now. I knew it was going to be extremely tough, but I fought hard and trusted my game.”
Sakkari said she knew from previous encounters with Pegula she had to be aggressive.
“If you’re passive, Jess is just going to make you run. She’s going to hit the ball very hard and it’s over,” the Greek said.
“I think it’s always easier for the player that loses the first match than the player that wins. The player that wins has all the pressure. I don’t think it ever crossed her mind that it’s going to be an easy match because she beat me a week ago. I never felt like she underestimated me today.” AFP
