Badosa dumps out No.3 seed Sabalenka in tiebreak thriller at Western & Southern Open

Paula Badosa's incredible year continues at the Western & Southern Open as she went the distance once more to dump out No.3 seed, Aryna Sabalenka 5-7, 6-2, 7-6(3).

Badosa will now face Elena Rybakina in Round Three in Cincinnati after a match which can only be categorised as a 'breakfest' at times with the duo exchanging serve throughout.

None more so in the opening set which saw Sabalenka go 4-2 up on the Badosa serve overturning a 30-15 deficit to do so before a run of breaks began.

Badosa hit back and it was 5-5 to the Spaniard after she consolidated her break but Sabalenka held and then broke to rip the opener away.

In the second set, the luck went the way of Badosa as she came from 2-1 down to send it all the way 6-2 upping her level as a result.

The breaks of serve returned with Badosa breaking to begin the decider aiming to continue her momentum but after Sabalenka broke back immediately, it turned in the Belarusian's favour.

She went 3-1 up but Badosa made it 3-2 breaking back. No player was giving an inch from there but Sabalenka looked to potentially be on the verge going 30-0 up on the Badosa serve as she looked to grab a match point opportunity but the first time WTA winner this year battled back to hold and it went all the way to a tiebreak.

The luck seemingly was turning again to Badosa as she would be the first to attempt to serve it out holding a 5-2 advantage in the tie break and she brought up two match points on her serve after surviving Sabalenka pressure and she took it in style to continue her brilliant form.

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