By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday April 28, 2022
The Madrid Open title defense of Aryna Sabalenka was jolted off the tracks at the first turn on Thursday. The No.3-seeded Belarusian fell to her longtime nemesis Amanda Anisimova, for the second time in 2022, and the fourth time overall (0-4), 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, on Thursday to close out a busy opening day of WTA main draw play at the Caja Magica.
Anismova, ranked 33, earns her first career main draw victory at Madrid while Sabalenka, last week’s Stuttgart runner-up, drops to 11-9 on the season.
Truth be told, it has been a tumultuous season for both players. Anisimova’s season looks strong on paper with a 15-6 record and a title at Melbourne, but the American has had to deal with legendary coach Darren Cahill leaving her team suddenly for personal reasons last month. At times Anisimova has struggled to make peace with the weight of her emotions in 2022, but she continues to demonstrate the type of form that took her to the Roland Garros semifinals as a 17-year-old in 2019.
Three years on from that breakthrough, Anisimova is once again approaching her career-high ranking of 21 – she comes in at 33 this week.
Sabalenka, plagued by double-faults and subsequent confidence issues throughout this season, took a big step last week by reaching the final in Stuttgart. But consistency continues to be the issue for the current World No.4.
Sabalenka hit 28 winners and 33 unforced errors during her close contest with Anisimova. But she could not close out her comeback attempt. She double-faulted on match point to close the contest in one hour and 55 minutes.
Pliskova Falls at First Hurdle
2022 hasn’t really started yet for Karolina Pliskova. The fifth-seeded Czech is just seven matches into her season and has just won two matches. Today she was sent packing by compatriot Marie Bouzkova, 6-4, 7-5.
Pliskova, who sustained a hand injury in a fall during her preseason in December, has yet to hit her stride in 2022, but the season is still young for the former World No.1.
In other action on Thursday, Simona Halep set a second-round encounter with Paula Badosa - you can read more about that here.
Coco Gauff, seeded 14, slashed past Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, 6-0, 6-2, while 15th-seeded Victoria Azarenka stopped Viktorija Golubic, 7-6(5), 6-3.
Ninth-seeded Ons Jabeur defeated Italy’s Jasmine Paolini, 7-6(9), 6-1, while 11th-seeded Belinda Bencic thumped Irina-Camelia Begu, 6-4, 6-1.
See all the scores here.