Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka struggled in windy conditions and fell 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-0 in the second round to unseeded Donna Vekić on her return to action at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Sabalenka, who won his second major singles title at Melbourne Park last monthlooked on course for a routine victory over Vekić after winning a tight first set and earning an early break in the second.
Vekić, who came into the competition having won five of her seven previous meetings with the world number two, was one point away from trailing 3-0 in the second set but hit a superb deep slice winner to level the score.
This proved to be the turning point of the match, as Vekić won 12 of the next 13 games to secure the victory and set up a clash with Sorana Cîrstea, who beat Veronika Kudermetova 6-1, 6-4.
“I feel like the conditions here don’t suit me at all,” said Sabalenka, who had a first-round bye.
It’s really difficult for me to compete here in Dubai. It’s a really difficult terrain for me.
“I led the whole match, I won. I won the first set. I had the break in mind. I didn’t feel like I had the upper hand. The level was really bad today.
“She didn’t play at her best either. At the end, she stepped in and started playing aggressively because she saw that I wasn’t playing at my best at all.”
Vekić, ranked 31st in the world, said she never lost confidence despite being a set and a break down.
“In tennis, I swear it’s not over until it’s over,” she said.
“A match can change with just one point.
“To be honest, I didn’t really think about it… those big leads don’t mean anything anymore. You have to focus and play every game like it’s your last.”
World number one Iga Świątek and number three seed Coco Gauff both won their opening matches in three sets after receiving first-round byes.
Świątek beat former US Open champion Sloane Stephens 6-4, 6-4, while Gauff beat Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-1, 7-5.
Reuters
