[ad_1]
Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka struggled in blustery circumstances and crashed to a 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-0 second-round defeat to unseeded Donna Vekić on her return to motion on the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Sabalenka, who received her second main singles title at Melbourne Park final month, appeared on monitor for a routine victory towards Vekić after claiming a decent opening set and grabbing an early break within the second.
Vekić, who got here into the competition having received 5 of her earlier seven conferences with the world quantity two, was one level away from going 3-0 down within the second set however got here up with an excellent sliced winner from deep to attract stage at deuce.
It proved to be the turning level of the match, as Vekić received 12 of the following 13 video games to safe the victory and arrange a conflict with Sorana Cîrstea, who beat Veronika Kudermetova 6-1, 6-4.
“I really feel the circumstances right here do not match me nicely in any respect,” stated Sabalenka, who was awarded a bye within the first spherical.
It is actually tough for me to compete right here in Dubai. A extremely tough courtroom for me.
“The entire match I used to be main, I used to be successful. I received the primary set. I used to be up with break. I did not really feel like I used to be up. The extent was so dangerous as we speak from me.
“She additionally did not play her finest. On the finish, she stepped in and began taking part in aggressively as a result of she noticed I am not taking part in my finest in any respect.”
Vekić, ranked 31 on this planet, stated she by no means misplaced self-belief, regardless of being a set and a break down.
“In tennis, I swear it is not over till it is over,” she stated.
“Matches can flip round with one level.
“To be sincere, I wasn’t actually considering … these huge leads do not imply nothing anymore. You simply focus and play every recreation as if it is the final.”
World primary Iga Świątek and third seed Coco Gauff each received their opening matches in straight units after being given byes within the first spherical.
Świątek beat former US Open champion Sloane Stephens 6-4, 6-4, whereas Gauff defeated Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-1, 7-5.
Reuters
[ad_2]
Source link
