Sabalenka overcomes tough first set, outlasts Putintseva

No.1 seed Aryna Sabalenka survived a stern test from No.15 seed Yulia Putintseva in the Brisbane International third round, coming from 5-3 down in the first set to win 7-6(2), 6-4 in 1 hour and 49 minutes.

Sabalenka, the 2024 runner-up to Elena Rybakina, was two points from losing the opener on four occasions but held her nerve in the most important moments to improve to 2-1 overall against Putintseva. Here are the key takeaways from the World No.1’s straight-sets victory:

A clutch first set proved decisive

Putintseva has historically been a tough matchup for Sabalenka — the Kazakhstani won their first encounter at the 2019 US Open, then led 6-1, 4-3 in last year’s Wuhan third round before Sabalenka turned that match around. This proved the case again in Brisbane. Putintseva’s court awareness, variety and speed prevented Sabalenka from settling into a groove. The World No.29 peaked with a phenomenal defensive point, finding every line at full stretch, as she built a 5-3 lead.

But whenever Sabalenka was in danger of facing a set point, she managed to keep the rallies short with accurate power of her own. Though she was unable to convert her first set point at 6-5, the three-time major champion dominated the ensuing tiebreak and carried her momentum into the second set, breaking Putintseva immediately with a bruising forehand winner.

That game proved decisive. Though Sabalenka was taken to 30-30 three more times, she did not face a break point in the second set, and sealed victory with a blistering backhand down the line.

Sabalenka has a plan to make amends with Putintseva

Good friends off the court but renowned as two of the grittiest competitors on the Hologic WTA Tour, Sabalenka and Putintseva were able to lay it all on the line during the match before sharing an embrace and a joke at net afterward.

“I got an invitation from her for her birthday celebration next Friday,” Sabalenka said to the press. “After the match she said, ‘You’re not coming to my birthday!’ I said, ‘I’ll make sure I’ll bring you a good gift, so you’ll be OK with me.’”

Sabalenka’s path in Brisbane doesn’t get any easier

Sabalenka is one of just two seeds in the Brisbane quarterfinals, along with No.8 Mirra Andreeva. But there’s still danger at every turn as she bids to capture the title for the first time.

In the quarterfinals, the World No.1 will face another player who has provided a stiff challenge in the past — Marie Bouzkova, who upset No.10 seed and two-time former champion Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 6-4. That result was Bouzkova’s second Top 20 win of the week following her second-round upset of No.5 seed Jelena Ostapenko. 

Sabalenka and Bouzkova are tied at one win apiece, with the Czech winning their last match 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in last July’s Washington semifinals.

“She’s another player who’s going to make you play very long points,” Sabalenka said. “The last match we played, I have to say I didn’t play my best, and she played an incredible match. I really hope tomorrow I’ll be able to put it all together.”

Should Sabalenka take revenge on Bouzkova, she will face either Andreeva or former World No.2 Ons Jabeur in the semifinals — two more players who can disrupt her power with their variety. Andreeva upset Sabalenka 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-4 in last year’s Roland Garros quarterfinals, while Jabeur has won two of their six meetings to date.