Badosa humbles top seed Sabalenka in WTA Finals debut

Paula Badosa made a statement in her first match at the WTA Finals, cruising past World No.2 Aryna Sabalenka to pick up her first win at the elite event.

Badosa required just 75 minutes to pull off the 6-4 6-0 victory, dominating the top seed with an array of shots that displayed her power and precision. Sabalenka was not particularly impressive on serve, hitting just 40% of first serves while winning a paltry 31% of points on her second serve.

The big-hitting Belarusian was also plagued by inconsistencies, as she struggled to keep up with her opponent's pace and variety of shots. Conversely, Badosa was confident on serve, saving six break points as she dictated play from the baseline.

Although both ladies exchanged breaks early on, it was the Spaniard who remained poised as she escaped with the first set. However, it was all Badosa in the second, as Sabalenka was undone by errors and a lack of confidence in her serving prowess.

Badosa now moves to 1-0 in Group Chichén Itzá, joining Greek Maria Sakkari who defeated 2020 French Open champion Iga Swiatek earlier in the day.