Aryna Sabalenka has extended her unbeaten run on the WTA Tour to 12 matches after dismissing Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur 6-2, 6-4, in the third round of the Abu Dhabi Open.
The fourth seed was unstoppable during the start of the match after racing through the opening set in less than 30 minutes by dropping just six points behind her serve. However, Jabeur proved to be more problematic in the second frame by breaking Sabalenka twice and was at one stage leading 4-2. Despite those wobbles, the world No.10 retrieved both of those breaks before claiming four straight games to turn the tides and book her place in the quarter-finals.
“It was a tough one, but what I think I did well was I didn’t give her any time to play, to make her trick shots. That’s why I think she didn’t feel really well on the court,” tennis.com quoted Sabalenka as saying after. “That’s what I needed at Roland Garros. The courts were really slow there and she had the time, and it was really tricky.
“I think that was the key for today’s win.”
Sabalenka’s victory is a case of sweet revenge after losing to Jabeur at the French Open in what was her least defeat on the Tour. Since then she has won titles in Ostrava and Linz. In her latest match she won 60% of her service points but did hit twice as many unforced errors than winners (20-10).
“Yeah, I’ve won 12 matches, but tomorrow’s another day, and I’ll do everything I can to win another one. I’m not afraid of losing. This is part of our job. But I’ll try to do everything I can to keep winning.” She said.
Awaiting Sabalenka in Monday’s quarter-final will be rising star Elena Rybakina who reached five WTA finals last season, winning the Hobart Open. The Kazakh eased through her third round match in just over an hour after dismissing Daria Kasatkina 6-3, 6-4. Rybakina broke the Russian three times, including twice at the start of the second set, to seal victory.
“Rybakina, she’s a really aggressive player with a big serve. It’s going to be a really tough one,” Sabalenka commented. “I’ll just need to be ready for her serves and quick shots, stay low and move really well.”
The upcoming match will only be the second time the two have locked horns on the Tour. In their first meeting at the 2019 Wuhan Open Rybakina prevailed in three sets.
Also through to the last eight is 18-year-old Marta Kostyuk who crushed Tamara Zidanšek 6-1, 6-1. The teenager is making her debut in a WTA 500 event and it is only the second time in her career she has reached the last eight of a WTA event. She is currently ranked 99th in the world.
