Aryna Sabalenka eliminated Jessica Pegula of the WTA final with a 6-3 7-5 group stage win on Friday and will have to wait and see how the match between Ons Jabeur and Maria Sakkari goes to see if she makes it to the semi-finals.
The Belarusian number seven in the world Sabalenka, who ended the group stage with a 2-1 ‘record’, will continue if Sakkari wins one set. If the Greek drops a set, or even loses in three sets, there are still mathematical possibilities for Sabalenka to progress.
Sabalenka got off to a blistering start, breaking Pegula to open the game and again for a 5-2 lead. The world number three, Pegula, then battled four set points to break right back, but Sabalenka broke to love in the next game to round out the set.
Pegula trailed 2-0 in the second but fought back before Sabalenka delivered a love hold at 3-3 and then came back from 40-15 for a crushing service break before the top-ranked American returned the favor for the set.
But Sabalenka held on for the third time in the set and fourth in the match for a 6-5 lead, then capped it off on her second match point when she ripped a backhand crosscourt winner.
“She’s a great player and she really put me to work tonight,” Sabalenka said in her on-court interview. “I’m just happy that I was really focused from start to finish and was able to finish this match in two sets.
The world’s number two, Tunisian Jabeur and number 5 Sakkari, will start their match at 8pm ET (0000 GMT).
The Belarusian number seven in the world Sabalenka, who ended the group stage with a 2-1 ‘record’, will continue if Sakkari wins one set. If the Greek drops a set, or even loses in three sets, there are still mathematical possibilities for Sabalenka to progress.
Sabalenka got off to a blistering start, breaking Pegula to open the game and again for a 5-2 lead. The world number three, Pegula, then battled four set points to break right back, but Sabalenka broke to love in the next game to round out the set.
Pegula trailed 2-0 in the second but fought back before Sabalenka delivered a love hold at 3-3 and then came back from 40-15 for a crushing service break before the top-ranked American returned the favor for the set.
But Sabalenka held on for the third time in the set and fourth in the match for a 6-5 lead, then capped it off on her second match point when she ripped a backhand crosscourt winner.
“She’s a great player and she really put me to work tonight,” Sabalenka said in her on-court interview. “I’m just happy that I was really focused from start to finish and was able to finish this match in two sets.
The world’s number two, Tunisian Jabeur and number 5 Sakkari, will start their match at 8pm ET (0000 GMT).
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