World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka has been through to the Rome quarterfinal after saving a match point in an absolute marathon at Foro Italico versus 2023 Wimbledon semifinalist Elina Svitolina
In a match that lasted two hours and 24 minutes and finished after midnight in Rome, Sabalenka managed to came back from a set down and edge out No. 16 seed Svitolina 4-6 6-1 7-6 (7).
The third set was an absolutele rollercoaster and a marathon as Svitolina started with an early break before Sabalenka stormed back to take the lead. But after taking the lead, Sabalenka failed to serve out for the match – then also faced a match point in the third-set tie-break – before finally converting her second match point to reach the Rome quarterfinal.
In the Rome quarterfinal, Sabalenka will play against No. 9 seed Jelena Ostapenko.
How Sabalenka came back to beat Svitolina?
Early in the first set, Svitolina missed out on three break points in the opening game of the match but managed to earn the first break two games later. In the sixth game, Sabalenka managed to get the break back and tie the first set to six games apiece but Svitolina remained unfazed as the Ukrainian broke the Belarusian again in the following game and then…
