WTA - Indian Wells: Sabalenka saves four match points to reach third round
Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, ranked 2nd in the world, seeded 2nd, and last year's finalist, managed to advance to the third round of the WTA Indian Wells tournament in the USA, despite saving four match points.
Aryna Sabalenka ultimately had the last word in a tough battle. The Belarusian, world number 2 and seeded 2nd, secured her spot in the third round of the WTA Indian Wells tournament in the USA on hard court after defeating American Peyton Stearns, ranked 64th in the world, in three sets (6-7 (2), 6-2, 7-6 (6)) in a grueling 2 hours and 55 minutes match. In the first set, both players traded breaks and eventually headed into a tie-break. The American performed well in the tie-break, comfortably taking the first set (7-6 (2)). Moving into the second set, Sabalenka secured a crucial break at 2-1, followed by another efficient break to level the match at one set apiece (6-2). In the decisive third set, Sabalenka was the first to lose her service game at 4-4. Subsequently, Stearns served for the match win. After saving four match points, the 64th ranked player was broken back. Both players then struggled to hold their serves, leading to a second tie-break.
In the final tie-break, the world number 2 earned three match points before finally clinching victory on the fourth one (7-6 (6)). She will face British player Emma Raducanu, ranked 250th in the world, who advanced due to the retirement of Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska, ranked 31st. Other players who secured their spots in the next round include Greek Maria Sakkari, ranked 9th, Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, ranked 17th, American Emma Navarro, ranked 23rd, and Belgian Elise Mertens, ranked 28th. However, it's the end of the road for American Jessica Pegula, ranked 5th, Chinese player Qinwen Zheng, ranked 8th, Russian Liudmila Samsonova, ranked 15th, Romanian Sorana Cirstea, ranked 22nd, Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, ranked 30th, and Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina, ranked 35th.
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