By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, August 11, 2021
Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka swept through five straight games stopping Sloane Stephens 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-4 to reach the Montreal round of 16 for the first time.
Photo credit: WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai Facebook
A surging Sloane Stephens could see the finish line as clearly as the scoreboard showing her holding a 4-1 final-set lead.
A streaking Aryna Sabalenka shrunk the gap with a convincing closing kick.
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The top-seeded Sabalenka swept through five straight games stopping Stephens 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-4 to reach the Montreal round of 16 for the first time.
Playing as a top seed this week for the seventh time in her career, Sabalenka broke for a 5-4 lead in the decider then saved a break point serving out a physical two hour, 25-minute win.
Sabalenka improved to 36-12 on the season, including a 15-5 mark on hard courts where she’s won nine of her 10 career titles. Wimbledon semifinalist Sabalenka will play Canadian wild card Rebecca Marino for a spot in the Montreal quarterfinals.
The 220th-ranked Marino pumped nine aces and saved 11 of 17 break points stunning Spain’s Paula Badosa 1-6, 7-5, 6-4. Badosa betrayed her own cause committing 10 double faults in suffering her first loss of the season to a player ranked outside the Top 150.
This match between the current and former world No. 3 pitted Sabalenka’s crackling power vs. Stephens’ smooth speed around the court. Sabalenka showed guts continuing to go for big second serves under pressure. The Belarusian banged 18 aces against 11 double faults and saved six of nine break points she faced. The top seed in doubles alongside Elise Mertens, Sabalenka showed her net skills winning a few crucial rapid-fire net exchanges.
Wild card Stephens came back from a 0-3 hole, breaking back in the seventh game then holding at 15 to even it after eight games. Sabalenka smacked a second-serve ace to seal a hold for 5-4. Squandering a 40-love lead in the 10th game, Stephens missed a forehand to hand the Belarusian a set point. Sabalenka squealed after netting a forehand return. Stephens exploited that lapse holding for 5-5.
In the tiebreaker, Sabalenka was swinging with vigor attacking her shots. A bold second serve set up a cruncing forehand winner for 4-1. Another heavy second serve displaced Stephens as Sabalenka swatted a backhand winner for three more set points. On her third set point, Sabalenka drew the netted error to snatch a tight 56-minute opening set.
Sabalenka saved three break points, including winning a rapid-fire next exchange, but spit up her third double fault to face a fourth break point. Sabalenka scorched an ace to save it. Sabalenka shoveled a backhand into net as Stephens broke.
Elevating her game mid-way through the final set, Stephens cracked some timely counterstrikes. Running down a heavy crosscourt forehand, Stephens snapped a short-angled forehand to freeze her opponent then flashed her fifth ace down the middle closing a strong love hold for 4-1.
The top seed needed to raise her intensity and did exactly that rolling through eight of nine points to break back in the seventh game then back up the break blasting her 17th ace for 4-all.
Loading up on her crosscourt forehand, Sabalenka hit that shot hard and heavy drawing a wild forehand reply from a shrieking Stephens for a second break point in the ninth game. Reading a wide second serve, Sabalenka leaned into a backhand crosscourt breaking for 5-4.
Serving for the match, Sabalenka slashed a backhand down the line to deny a break point. Opening the court with a slice second serve, Sabalenka was nearly kneeling when she cracked a forehand down the line for match point.
One final net exchange saw Stephens send a volley long as Sabalenka reached the round of 16 in two hours, 25 minutes.
No. 11-seeded Maria Sakkari saved nine of 14 break points subduing Veronika Kudermetova 6-4, 5-7, 6-4. Sakkari will face former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka with the winner playing the Sabalenka-Marino winner in the quarterfinals.
Karolina Pliskova pounded 15 aces edging Donna Vekic 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(2). The fourth-seeded Pliskova plays American Amanda Anisimova in the round of 16.