MINSK, 9 October (BelTA) – Belarus' world number 11 Aryna Sabalenka outlasted American Sofia Kenin (World No.50) in the first round of the Tianjin Open 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-0 on 9 October, BelTA has learned.
The Belarusian rallied from an early break down in the opening set, and also saved a trio of break points at 5-5 before winning the ensuing tiebreak. The second set was tense as well and finally finished in favor of the U.S. player. In the final set Aryna Sabalenka gave not a single game to win the match.
Aryna Sabalenka advances to a second round meeting with Poland's Magda Linette (World No.84), who defeated Russian world number 85 Evgeniya Rodina 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 in her first match on 8 October.
At Linz 2018 Belarus' world number 62 Vera Lapko will take on World No. 41 Belinda Bencic of Switzerland. In the women's doubles event Vera Lapko and Mandy Minella from Luxemburg will play the Belgian-Swedish tandem of Kirsten Flipkens and Johanna Larsson.
In the women's doubles event in Hong Kong Belarus' Lidziya Marozava and Japan's Shuko Aoyama will face the Australian-Serbian duet of Arina Rodionova and Aleksandra Krunic.
Competitions in Hong Kong, Linz and Tianjin will be over on 14 October.
