Aryna Sabalenka is out of the 2024 Indian Wells Open already in the round-of-16, losing to the home player, Emma Navarro.
After dominantly winning the 2024 Australian Open, the Belarusian has struggled with her level quite a lot. She lost to Donna Vekic in her first match in Dubai, and her Indian Wells campaign didn't go any better.
In her first match at the WTA 1000 tournament in California, the world no. 2 struggled against Peyton Stearns, having to save match points in the process, with her only straight-sets win coming against Emma Raducanu.
Her next opponent was Emma Navarro, who already managed to lift a title in Indian Wells this year. It wasn't an official WTA title, obviously, as the tournament is yet to know its winner, but the American won an exhibition Eisenhower Cup with Ben Shelton prior to the tournament's official start.
It seems that she managed to carry over that winning mood also into the main draw of the 2024 Indian Wells Open, as she wasn't scared of Sabalenka's incredible hitting qualities, answering all of her questions in the opening set.
Navarro got the only break of the first set, and thanks to saving one break point as well, she was able to win the first set 6-3. But the reigning Australian Open winner was not going to give up after losing one set.
Like a seasoned pro, she came back in the second set, not facing a single break point along the way. Thanks to using her chance to break, Sabalenka was able to easily win the second set 6-3 and send the match into the decider.
Yet, the Belarusian couldn't shift the momentum completely to her side. Navarro kept asking questions until eventually she got no answer from the other side of the net, outplaying the world no. 2 in the third set to win the match 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.
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