In a display of sheer dominance, Aryna Sabalenka, the second seed from Belarus, crushed Clara Burel of France in the third round of the U.S. Open on Saturday. The match ended in a hour with a decisive 6-1, 6-1 victory for Sabalenka, marking an abrupt end to Burel’s journey in New York.
This was not the first time Sabalenka had triumphed over Burel in the third round; she had done so the previous year as well. The Australian Open champion continued her winning streak, firing off an impressive 22 winners in a match that lasted just an hour at the Louis Armstrong Stadium.
From the outset, Sabalenka, a consistent contender in major tournaments, left no room for Burel to breathe. She won the first five games in a row in the opening set, without facing a single break point. Burel managed to show some resistance in the opening game of the second set, fending off two break points, but Sabalenka quickly regained control. Having reached the semi-finals in New York for the past two years, Sabalenka faced her only break point of the match in the sixth game of the second set.
However, she swiftly snuffed out Burel’s hopes with a strategically placed drop shot. In the final game of the second set, Burel’s frustration was palpable as she slammed her racquet to the ground after a forehand shot went out. Sabalenka then sealed the match with a backhand winner, breaking Burel’s serve.
Sabalenka will now face off against Russia’s Daria Kasatkina in an upcoming match, who defeated Greet Minnen
Kasatkina showcased her exceptional defensive skills in her match against Greet Minnen. She led the game by a set and 5-1, demonstrating flawless tennis. However, she had to fend off a late comeback from Minnen, who was ranked 97th at the time. Minnen managed to save the first three match points against her and even held a point to level the score at 5-5. Nevertheless, Kasatkina managed to edge past her and secure her place in the fourth round at Flushing Meadows for the first time since 2017.
The upcoming match between Sabalenka and Kasatkina promises to be an exciting one, given their history. Sabalenka currently holds a 4-2 record over Kasatkina, which includes a recent 6-3, 6-3 victory in the third round of the Cincinnati tournament just two weeks ago. However, when it comes to hard court matches, the pair are evenly matched with two wins each.
www.indiatoday.in
Source link