Aryna Sabalenka opened her Cincinnati WTA campaign with a convincing victory over Marketa Vondrousova, winning 7-5, 6-1 in just over 90 minutes. The world number one showed exactly why she's considered one of the top favorites at the tournament despite facing some early resistance.
Sabalenka had to work hard during a challenging first set against Olympic champion Vondrousova. Once she secured the opener though, she switched to another gear entirely, overwhelming her opponent in the second set.
"Defending my title here is important, especially with my ranking points at stake," she might say, considering what's on the line for her in Ohio.
Interestingly, Sabalenka is defending substantial ranking points in Cincinnati as the reigning champion from last year's edition. Despite not capturing any Grand Slam titles this season, she remains highly motivated to maintain her position atop the WTA rankings.
Next up for the Belarusian star? A clash with Emma Raducanu, who also enjoyed a comfortable first-round win against Danilovic with a score of 6-3, 6-2.
By the way, whoever emerges victorious from the Sabalenka-Raducanu matchup could potentially face Jessica Bouzas in the round of 16, provided the Spanish player defeats Townsend in her match.
Can Sabalenka successfully defend her Cincinnati crown? The tournament is just heating up, but her opening performance certainly sent a message to the rest of the field.
