Aryna Sabalenka can be the highest-ranked player on the WTA Tour after the 2023 US Open, and the key to reaching the spot may be the first-round win against Maryna Zanevska.
Every match is important in the world no. 1 race between Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka. The Belarusian has a simple task, reach the same round as her opponent, or win the title, and she will certainly be the new world no. 1.
So already after Swiatek's first match, Sabalenka could have secured the spot. But since the Pole won her match, the Belarusian had to respond, and by winning the opener, she virtually moved to the top spot again, prompting Swiatek to respond with another win if she wants to keep the duel going.
Sporting her custom Nike outfit, the Belarusian entered the match determined to win, but the start was far from ideal from the second seed. She was broken in the opening game, and despite breaking back, another break followed by her opponent.
However, Sabalenka was then able to put together a string of four consecutive games, turning the scoreline from 1-2 to 5-2 in the opening set. The world no. 2 was the also able to serve out the opening set, winning it 6-3.
Surprisingly, Sabalenka struggled also at the start of the second set. She lost the opening two games, and Zanevska even had a chance to go into a 3-0 lead with a game point in the third game of the set.
But that didn't happen as the Belarusian fought back. She managed to win six consecutive games and finish off the match in only an hour and 19 minutes, winning 6-3, 6-2.
That means Sabalenka now moves into the pole position in the world no. 1 race again, and she also set up a second-round clash with Jodie Burrage from the Great Britain.
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