Sabalenka too strong for Raducanu

- Advertisement -

INDIAN WELLS, California. – Aryna Sabalenka’s powerful serve and groundstrokes proved too much for Emma Raducanu as the Australian Open champion reached the fourth round at Indian Wells with a 6-3, 7-5 victory while Naomi Osaka fell to Elise Mertens in straight sets.

Britain’s former Grand Slam champion Raducanu is trying to find her form after multiple surgeries last year and played well but was unable to seize her opportunities, converting just one of 10 break points in her first meeting with Sabalenka.

The Belarusian, bedeviled by double faults in the past, issued one on her first match point but kept her composure and blasted a cross-court forehand winner on her fourth opportunity to seal the win under sunny skies in the California desert.

- Advertisement -

“I felt like the last game was kind of a key moment,” said Sabalenka, who is seeded second.

“If I would lose that game this would give her emotionally much more belief and confidence, and going to the tiebreak you never know. It’s like 50/50. I didn’t want that to happen,” she said.

“That’s why I felt a little bit of relief after I closed this match in two sets.”

Sabalenka, who won her second straight Australian Open in January, will face either Ukrainian Elina Svitolina or American Emma Navarro in the Round of 16.

Mertens held her nerve to send Osaka packing with a gutsy 7-5, 6-4 victory over the Japanese player, who returned to the WTA Tour in January after a maternity break.

Author

- Advertisement -

Share post: