PETE ZIEBRON
Aryna Sabalenka powers her way into the 3rd round at the Western & Southern Open
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus recorded her second consecutive impressive at the Western & Southern Open on Wednesday, defeating #9 seed Karolina Pliskova 2-6 6-3 7-5 on Court 10 at the Western & Southern Open.
The 2017 US Open quarterfinalist was broken by Pliskova in each of her opening two service games as the Czech raced to a 4-0 lead. This would be the only two games of the match that Sabalenka would be broken as her game improved significantly midway through the opening set.
Each player held serve comfortably in each of the first five games of set two. Then, Sabalenka broke Pliskova at 30 to take command of the set. She quickly consolidated the break at love with an ace. Following a Pliskova hold that featured two aces, the Belorussian served at 5-3 to level the match at a set apiece.
Karolina Pliskova at the Western & Southern Open
After not being able to close out the game at 40-30, Sabalenka needed to save four break points before ultimate prevailing in a 22 point game to take the set 6-3.
Service was held by both players in the first ten games of the deciding set, however Sabalenka saved a match point as she served to stay in the match at 4-5. The tenth game lasted 14 points as the Belorussian leveled at five apiece.
Pliskova quickly fell behind 0-40 before recovering to deuce. A double fault gave Sabalenka a break point opportunity that she pounced on quickly to take a 6-5 lead and serve for the match.
Despite dropping the first two points of the game, Sabalenka hit two aces in the next four points to win the match and advance to the 3rd round where she will play 6th seed Caroline Garcia of France on Thursday.
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