WTA Finals: Paula Badosa rolls over Aryna Sabalenka
Paula Badosa didn't give tournament favorite Aryna Sabalenka a chance in her first match at the WTA Finals in Guadalajara. The Spaniard won 6: 4 and 6: 0.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Nov 12, 2021, 07:12 am
After number two, Barbora Krejcikova, who went down without a chance against Anett Kontaveit, the first-placed player at the WTA Finals in Guadalajara also made a false start: Aryna Sabalenka, who was last unable to participate in Indian Wells due to a COVID illness , lost to Paula Badosa 4: 6 and 0: 6. Badosa had celebrated her greatest success to date by winning the title in Indian Wells. For the Spaniard it was the seventh match win in a row.
In the first group B match on Thursday, Maria Sakkari beat Iga Swiatek 6: 2 and 6: 4. And thus the third encounter with the French Open winner of 2020 won. In Roland Garros there was also the first meeting of the two newly promoted women in the quarter-finals of the current season, Sakkari ended Swiatek's dream of defending her title.
Sakkari strong against top ten opponents
For Maria Sakkari it was already the eighth win in 2021 against a player who is classified within the top ten. No woman has done more this year. After the match, Sakkari was particularly satisfied with her serve. With the high altitude in Guadalajara, she was getting along better and better.
Badosa and Sabalenka had met before meeting at the Finals, a few months ago in Cincinnati. Even then, the Spaniard was able to celebrate as the winner, but after an extremely close match that was only decided in the tie-break of the third set. In Guadalajara Badosa turned a 2: 4 deficit in the first set - and was then almost untouchable.