Aryna Sabalenka has yet to make it to a major final at Wimbledon. It’s the right time for a change. The Associated Press has the story:
‘Every match is a new match’
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — No. 2-seeded, Aryna Sabalenka, is into the second week at Wimbledon and on the verge of a career breakthrough.
The hard-hitting Belarusian beat qualifier María Camila Osorio Serrano 6-0, 6-3 Friday to reach the fourth round, and she might be overdue for a deep run in a Grand Slam. Sabalenka is the only woman among the top 20 seeds who has yet to reach a major quarterfinal.
The time seems right for that to change: Sabalenka leads the tour with 32 match wins this year, her seeding is a career high in a major, and she’s navigating a draw already without eight of the 11 highest-ranked women.
“I just keep working, keep improving,” Sabalenka said. “Every match is a new match. You never know what is going to happen.”
She overpowered Osorio Serrano, and pulled away when the Colombian went 0 for 6 converting break points in the first set.
“So many chances,” Osorio Serrano said. “I couldn’t close it.”
Sabalenka next faces No. 18 Elena Rybakina, who eliminated American Shelby Rogers 6-1, 6-4.
Also still in contention is No. 7-seeded Iga Świątek, the 2020 French Open champion, who breezed into the fourth round by beating Irina-Camelia Begu 6-1, 6-0. Świątek seeks a Wimbledon double after winning the girls’ singles title in 2018.
“It would be amazing,” she said. “It’s another Grand Slam, so it’s like a dream come true for any of us.”
No. 21 Ons Jabeur vomited next to the backstop before her first match point and then finished off former Wimbledon champion Garbiñe Muguruza 5-7, 6-3, 6-2.
Jabeur became the first Tunisian woman to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon. She also had the shot of the day when she hit a running forehand around the net post from off the court for a winner.
Wild card Liudmila Samsonova of Russia reached the round of 16 at a major for the first time by beating American Sloane Stephens 6-2, 2-6, 6-4. No. 8 Karolina Pliskova swept Tereza Martincová 6-3, 6-3.
In men’s play, No. 25 Karen Khachanov won 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 against American Frances Tiafoe, who upset No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets in the first round.
No. 5 Andrey Rublev hit 13 aces and beat No. 26 Fabio Fognini 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2. No. 8 Roberto Bautista Agut swept Dominik Koepfer 7-5, 6-1, 7-6 (4).
