Sabalenka rediscovers form to down Stephens and advance in San Diego

Playing in her first match since her semifinal appearance at the 2022 US Open, Aryna Sabalenka rallied from a set down to defeat Sloane Stephens and book her spot in the quarterfinals of the San Diego Open.

The third seed dug deep to escape with a 1-6 6-3 6-2 victory, as she was completely outclassed by the American in the opening set. Stephens looked confident as she dictated play, moving her opponent around the court before ending points with her powerful groundstrokes.

Nonetheless, Sabalenka fought back in the second set, as Stephens' form slowly began to dip while the Belarusian rediscovered hers. Sabalenka employed the same strategy used by Stephens, controlling the pace of play and drawing errors from the 2017 US Open champion to claim the second set and force a decider.

It was here that Sabalenka found her groove, as she cut down on the unforced errors while striking the ball with more precision. The 24-year old hit a total of 23 winners to only 15 by Stephens, and secured a double break in the final set before securing victory on her second match point.

Having improved to 3-0 in career meetings against the American, Sabalenka will take on the in-form Donna Vekic for a spot in the semifinals.