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Tennis: Sabalenka surprises Jabeur, Sakkari edges Pegula at WTA Finals

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="EPA-EFE." src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/life/11/01/20221101-aryna-sabalenka-epa-efe.jpg"/><figcaption>Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reacts to losing a point against Ons Jabeur of Tunisia during their match in the WTA Finals tennis tournament held at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, USA, 31 October 2022. CJ Gunther, EPA-EFE.</figcaption></figure></div>FORTH WORTH, United States -- World number seven Aryna Sabalenka rallied from a set down to beat second-ranked Ons Jabeur on Monday as round-robin play began at the season-ending WTA Finals.Sabalenka shook off an error-strewn start to beat the Tunisian, a finalist at both Wimbledon and the US Open this year, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-5 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.&quot;I think it&#x27;s the biggest win of the season for me,&quot; said Sabalenka, who was a semi-finalist in the WTA&#x27;s season finale last year but has endured a disappointing 2022 campaign.&quot;She played unbelievable and somehow another miracle happened for me and I was able to win this match.&quot;Sabalenka had to dig deep to improve her record against Jabeur to 3-1.Jabeur, making her WTA Finals debut, was two points away from victory at 5-3 in the second set tiebreaker, and she had two chances to break for a 5-2 lead in the third.But Sabalenka held on, breaking Jabeur at love to level the set at 4-4 and capturing the victory when Jabeur netted a forehand on the first match point.&quot;I didn&#x27;t feel welcome on this court,&quot; Sabalenka said of her early struggles. &quot;I couldn&#x27;t understand what was happening, the ball was bouncing too slow for me.&quot;Then in the second set I kind of calmed down and tried to think what I had to do to win this match.&quot;Greece&#x27;s fifth-ranked Maria Sakkari, aiming to improve on a semi-final appearance in the event last year, defeated third-ranked American Jessica Pegula 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/4) in the other Nancy Richey Group encounter.In a rematch of the WTA Guadalajara final won by Pegula eight days earlier, she and Sakkari traded six service breaks in the opening set, Pegula twice recovering a break before Sakkari put it away in the tiebreaker.After pocketing the first, Sakkari raced to a 3-0 lead in the second set before Pegula, who survived match points to win three times this season, broke back to trim the deficit to 3-2.Pegula saved a pair of match points against her serve in the 12th game to force the tiebreaker, the second with a stinging backhand winner.But Sakkari sealed it on her third opportunity when Pegula&#x27;s effort found the net.&quot;It&#x27;s never easy against Jess,&quot; said Sakkari, who improved to 4-2 against the American. &quot;She&#x27;s an amazing player. She&#x27;s very confident right now. I knew it was going to be extremely tough but I fought hard and trusted my game.&quot;Sakkari said she knew from prior encounters with Pegula she had to be aggressive.&quot;If you&#x27;re passive, Jess is just going to make you run. She&#x27;s going to hit the ball very hard, and it&#x27;s over,&quot; Sakkari said.<div>© Agence France-Presse</div>

Aryna Sabalenka rallied from a set down to beat second-ranked Ons Jabeur on Monday as round-robin play began at the season-ending WTA Finals.