Aryna Sabalenka, the current world No. 2 in women’s tennis, experienced a tough defeat against world No. 31 Donna Vekic at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. After securing her second title at the Australian Open, Sabalenka returned to the court only to face a challenging match that ended in a 7-6(5), 3-6, 0-6 loss.
Expressing her disappointment with her performance in the Middle East tournament, Sabalenka revealed that she struggled to find her comfort on the court. “I feel like the conditions here don’t fit me well at all. It’s really tricky for me to compete here in Dubai. A really tricky court for me,” she explained.
Throughout the match, Sabalenka encountered difficulties, making several double faults at crucial points. Despite initially leading 2-0 in the second set, unforced errors crept in just as Vekic raised her level. Sabalenka reflected on her performance, stating, “I would say that the whole match I was leading, I was winning. I won the first set. I was up with a break. I didn’t feel like I was up. The level was so bad today from me.”
Acknowledging Vekic’s performance, Sabalenka noted that her opponent capitalized on the opportunity to step up her aggression when she saw Sabalenka struggling. “Like at the end she kind of stepped in and started playing way aggressively, way more aggressive ’cause she saw that I’m not playing my best at all. I think that’s why she came back from that score that easy because, like, it was just like who’s luckier, you know? The level wasn’t there at all,” Sabalenka added.
Despite the defeat, Sabalenka recognized Vekic as a formidable opponent, stating, “She won a lot of matches against me. But all of the matches were close. I wouldn’t say that she’s really super tricky opponent for me. She’s tough to play. She’s a great fighter. She’s a great player. Serving well. Playing well. It’s not like because she’s really tricky to play against.”
Sabalenka’s loss in Dubai serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by even the top-ranked players in the sport. As she continues her season, she will undoubtedly seek to bounce back from this setback and showcase her formidable skills on the court once again.
Aryna Sabalenka in 2024
LWLWWWWLWW Ranked no.2, Sabalenka played her last match on the 20th of February when she was defeated by world no.31 Donna Vekic 6-7(5) 6-3 6-0 in the 2nd round in Dubai (draw).
At the moment, during this season Aryna owns a 11-2 match record. The Belarussian clinched 1 title at the Australian Open. Aryna was the runner-up in Brisbane.
Aryna Sabalenka |
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