Belarusian tennis sensation Aryna Sabalenka suffered an unexpected defeat in Dubai, falling to Donna Vekic after her recent victory at the Australian Open. Sabalenka’s inability to secure a win in her first match back was evident as she lost to world No.31 Donna Vekic, 7-6(5) 3-6 0-6, at the WTA 1000 event in the United Arab Emirates yesterday.
Despite initially leading 7-6(5) 2-0 and having the opportunity to dominate the second set, Sabalenka was ultimately overpowered by Vekic, who claimed victory by winning 12 of the next 13 games. This defeat further extends Vekic’s impressive record against Sabalenka, as she now leads the head-to-head 6-2.
Sabalenka voiced her displeasure with the playing conditions in Dubai, stating, “I feel like the conditions here don’t fit me well at all. It’s really tricky for me to compete here in Dubai. A really tricky court for me. I would say that the whole match I was leading, I was winning. I won the first set. I was up with a break. I didn’t feel like I was up. The level was so bad today from me.”
As Sabalenka regroups following her exit from Dubai, all eyes are on her upcoming participation in the Indian Wells tournament, commencing on March 6th, where she finished as the runner-up last year.
Sabalenka’s uncharacteristic performance in Dubai, especially following her strong showing at the Australian Open, was an unexpected development. To witness her succumb decisively after leading by a set and a break is surprising for any player, particularly the second-highest ranked player in the world. Nonetheless, it is likely that this setback will be viewed as temporary, with Sabalenka seemingly more suited to the hard courts of Indian Wells.
Sabalenka’s Track Record in Dubai
Sabalenka’s dissatisfaction with the courts in Dubai may be mirrored in her past tournament performances. Her main draw win-loss record stands at 8-7 (53%), with no tournament finishes higher than the quarter-final stage.
2017 (WTA 1000) – Lost in the First round to Kateryna Volodko, 6-4 4-6 3-6
2019 (WTA 1000) – Lost in the Third round to Belinda Bencic, 4-6 6-2 6(7)-7
2020 (WTA 500) – Lost in the Quarter-final to Simona Halep (1), 6-3 2-6 2-6
2021 (WTA 1000) – Lost in the Quarter-final to Garbine Muguruza (9), 6-3 3-6 2-6
2022 (WTA 500 6-4 4-6) – Lost in the Second Round to Petra Kvitova, 4-6 4-6
2023 (WTA 1000) – Lost in the Quarter-final to Barbora Krejcikova, 6-0 6(2)-7 1-6
2024 (WTA 1000) – Lost in the Second Round to Donna Vekic, 7-6(5) 3-6 0-6
In the wake of this early exit, all eyes will be on Sabalenka as she prepares for her next tournament. Can she rebound and make a strong showing in Indian Wells, or will the challenging start in Dubai continue to impact her performances? Only time will tell.