ZCZC
BSP-06
TENNIS-WTA-UAE
Sabalenka takes third straight title with Abu Dhabi win
ABU DHABI, Jan 13, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Aryna Sabalenka captured a third
consecutive title by outclassing Veronika Kudermetova 6-2, 6-2 in the Abu
Dhabi final on Wednesday to extend her winning streak to 15 straight matches.
The 22-year-old from Belarus added a ninth singles trophy to her collection
and will rise to a career-high number seven in the world when the new
rankings are released next week.
Sabalenka, who ended her 2020 season by clinching back-to-back titles in
Ostrava and Linz, is also riding an 11-match winning streak in the Middle
East, having triumphed in Doha on her last previous visit to the region 11
months ago.
Sabalenka drew first blood, breaking for a 4-2 advantage by using the same
suffocating kind of tennis that has kept her undefeated since the French Open
third round last October. She took a comfortable one-set lead in 26 minutes.
It was one-way traffic for the 22-year-old until Kudermetova finally
managed to end a six-game losing run by breaking the Sabalenka serve for 1-2
in the second set.
The fourth seed retaliated immediately though to reclaim control of the
contest and it was all over in 65 minutes.
BSS/AFP/SSS/1542 hrs