Sabalenka pulls through in Berlin, faces Rybakina in quarterfinals
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka was forced to navigate some bumps in the road in her first match since losing the Roland Garros final to Coco Gauff two weeks ago.
However, the top seed at the Berlin Tennis Open weathered an overnight delay after the first set, then came from 4-2 down in the second to defeat big-serving qualifier Rebeka Masarova 6-2, 7-5 to reach the quarterfinals. Sabalenka advances to the last eight in Berlin for the second year running and will next face 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, who held off Katerina Siniakova.
Berlin: Draws | Scores | Order of play
Wednesday's first set was tougher than the scoreline suggests, but Sabalenka delivered clutch play to save all six break points she faced. But on Thursday's resumption, Masarova's blend of powerful serving and soft hands at net began to pay scoreboard dividends. The Swiss player broke Sabalenka for the first time immediately, then saved four break points to advance to a 3-1 lead.
Even after Sabalenka broke back courtesy of a fine stretch volley winner for 4-4, Masarova -- who was seeking her second career Top 10 win -- proved hard to put away. The World No. 112 came through four deuces to hold for 5-5, then pegged Sabalenka back from 4-1 down in the tiebreak. Sabalenka had to find three of her hardest, most accurately struck forehand winners of the match to stay ahead and converted her third match point as Masarova netted a short forehand.
Earlier, another former Wimbledon winner also booked her place in the quarterfinals. Marketa Vondrousova set a rematch of the 2023 Wimbledon final against Ons Jabeur after overcoming Diana Shnaider 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-3 in 2 hours and 20 minutes.
After her title defense at the All England Club ended in the first round last summer, Vondrousova missed the second half of last year after an arm issue and shoulder surgery, and a thigh injury suffered in her comeback tournament in Adelaide in January forced her out of the Australian Open; she was also sidelined for three months since February when her shoulder problem flared up again. But the win against Shnaider is her fourth win in six matches played since her most recent hiatus.
The Czech recovered after losing a 3-0 second-set lead, and coming within two points of victory at 6-5. Vondrousova's rallying became overly passive in the second set, and Shnaider took full advantage to impose her heavy hitting on the match -- with consecutive bruising forehand winners down the line in the tiebreak providing particular highlights. However, she was able to reassert herself in the decider, striking out aggressively on a series of left-handed forehands to regain the advantage.
"She played a great match. It was a bit tricky in the second set, but I'm very happy to be through," Vondrousova said afterwards. "I needed to stay focused and I'm always telling myself that I'm very grateful to be back on the court. I love to play tennis ... so I don't care if it was three sets!
"With all the injuries and stuff happening [to me], it just teaches you lessons, so I'm just taking it day-by-day and I'm grateful to be here/"
