Sabalenka starts World No.1 reign with sublime display to ease past Kenin at China Open
WTASunday, 01 October 2023 at 10:10
Aryna Sabalenka as the new World No.1 received a tough assignment on paper in her first match atop the WTA rankings facing off against Sofia Kenin at the China Open.
But Sabalenka showed why she is World No.1 with a dazzling 6-1, 6-2 success over the American which has opened the door to her run in Beijing.
Previously being a dominant force in the Asian swing, it is firmly back to business as she only lost six points across eight service games and sealed the win in just over an hour.
22 winners for the Belarusian and the draw has opened up of sorts too for her now. She will next face either Magdalena Frech or Katie Boulter, while the winner of the second round clash faces Yue Yuan or Jasmine Paolini.
The cork in the bottle was Paolini who saw off Beatriz Haddad Maia who was the other main seed in that section. Elena Rybakina would likely be the first big name that Sabalenka would have to conquer in the latter stages.
But while Sabalenka made light work of her opener, Marketa Vondrousova will not continue her run with the Wimbledon champion being dumped out by Anhelina Kalinina. There was also victory in the all-American battle for Jennifer Brady.
She took out US Open revelation Peyton Stearns who had only dropped minimal games in qualifying this week but lost with ease in straight sets to the former Australian Open finalist.
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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