Sabalenka battles past Brengle to begin Top Seed Open campaign, Jabeur safely through after victory over McNally
WTA
Late on Monday night, Aryna Sabalenka battled past Madison Brengle in her opener at the Top Seed Open in Lexington being pushed to three sets in the end.
Sabalenka claimed it 6-1, 6-7, 6-2 but didn't have it all her own way in the end. A routine first set from the World No.11 started proceedings but in the second set she battled back from 4-0 down to serve for the match at 6-5 up.
Despite that, she went on to lose the set in a tie break against the World No.80. There were no such worries though in the third set with Sabalenka going on to claim it 6-2 to survive that mid match scare. Next up will be Coco Gauff or Caroline Dolehide who will face off this evening.
Gauff's doubles partner Caty McNally wasn't so lucky though losing out to Ons Jabeur who will aim to build on her impressive start to the year starting this week.
The eighth seed claimed a 6-2, 6-4 victory to move through to face either Olga Govortsova or Bethanie Mattek-Sands after both came through qualifiers yesterday.
In the other match to end Monday night, Jessica Pegula and Vera Zvonareva produced a brilliant battle. It was the former who claimed victory 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 in just over two hours with the Russian's issue coming on break points being down at 1/9 in the third set after battling back.
https://twitter.com/WTA/status/1292978751848894467?s=20
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