Aryna Sabalenka’s resistance to the drama of the death last Monday, due to presumed suicide, of her former partner, former NHL ice hockey player Konstantin Koltsov, came to an end this Saturday at the Miami Open. The Belarusian, who had beaten her friend Paula Badosa on Friday in the second round, fell in the third against the Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina: 6-4, 1-6 and 6-1 in 2h02.
The world number two made 55 unforced errors, six of which were double faults, and ended the match so angry that she broke a racket by repeatedly hitting it on the court, for which she will surely be fined. It must not have been a dish of good taste for her to fall before a player from Ukraine, whom, as expected, she did not congratulate. Her defeat costs her 150 points (she was a quarterfinalist in 2023), although she will maintain her position in the ranking unless Coco Gauff becomes champion in the American WTA 1,000. “I’m a little proud of myself,” said Kalinina, who defeated Caroline Wozniacki on Friday and will face Kazakh Yulia Putintseva on Monday.
Sabalenka was not the only seed who was upset. Ons Jabeur (6th), who is going through a bad moment of results, went home after losing 6-1, 4-6 and 6-3 against the Russian Elina Avanesyan, next rival of the American Danielle Collins. She also fell Jelena Ostapenko. The Latvian (9th) succumbed (6-3 and 6-1) to the Russian Anna Kalinskaya, who will oppose the Greek María Sakkari on Monday, winner against the Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska (7-5 and 6-4).
Rybakina gets back on track
After having to withdraw due to illness from Indian Wells, where she was defending her title, Elena Rybakina knew how to suffer to beat the American Taylor Townsend 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-4 in her first private duel. The 2023 finalist (she fell to the absent Petra Kvitova) will face another local tennis player on Monday, Madison Keys, triumphant in her duel against the Chinese Xinyu Wang (6-4 and 7-6 (5)).
Osaka progresses and Swiatek continues doing his thing
Other notable results of the day were the victories of Naomi Osaka and Iga Swiatek. The Japanese woman is back after becoming a mother and she looks more and more toned. She beat the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 6-2 and 7-6 (5). A finalist in 2022, she thus broke the equality of three victories that existed in the face to face between the two and will face Caroline Garcia this Sunday.
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Swiatek, for her part, passed over, as she usually does with almost all her rivals, the Italian Camila Giorgi, who went home with a double 6-1 down in just 67 minutes. This is how the Pole began her attempt to repeat the sunshine double (winning Indian Wells and Miami in the same year). She is waiting for him this Sunday, the Czech Linda Noskova.
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2024-03-24 04:20:57
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