Aryna Sabalenka’s post Australian Open return came to a shuddering halt in a three set loss to the ever dangerous, Donna Vekic at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships 6-7, 6-3, 6-0.
Sabalenka was filmed doing a shopping spree at Dubai Airport and will be heading back there in short order ahead of Indian Wells after the Croat made short work of her in a deciding set.
In a week that could’ve seen her get closer to Iga Swiatek in the WTA Rankings, it has given the Pole who opens up her campaign shortly further impetus.
The first set was a closely ran affair with Sabalenka never quite comfortable. She lost her serve to go 2-1 down but Vekic herself could not put the foot on the accelerator. Sabalenka could at one point going 5-3 up and seemingly on course to seal the opening set. But she had to rely on a tiebreak in the end to claim the lead and narrowly so. After an arduous 75 minute set, it was the World Number Two that led.
Vekic though started to get into the game and on top. A much more straight forward mission as she broke pivotally at 5-3 and served out the second from there as Sabalenka started to fall apart. She was making fast work of Sabalenka and was soon after just over 25 minutes, one away from a crushing win. Sabalenka could barely get a foothold on Vekic’s serve and the same could be said on her own motion and she had no issues getting it done.