A frustrated Aryna Sabalenka began her China Open title charge with a 6-4, 6-1 win over tricky Thai qualifier Mananchaya Sawangkaew on Saturday.
13th consecutive win ✅@SabalenkaA with victory in her first match back after back-to-back titles in Cincinnati and the US Open.#ChinaOpen pic.twitter.com/ezJ7ILzTgU
— wta (@WTA) September 28, 2024
The top seed and world No 2 will face the 29th-seeded New Zealander Lulu Sun or Ashlyn Krueger of the United States in the third round in Beijing.
Fresh from winning the US Open, the Belarusian made hard work of an opponent ranked 187 in the world and playing the biggest match of her young career.
Aryna Sabalenka hits a beautiful drop shot in Beijing.
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 28, 2024
She’s added so much more feel to her game this year.
When she uses it at the right moment in combination with her power, she’s almost unplayable.
This tiger’s got finesse. 🐯
pic.twitter.com/fxOxEYWRPJ
The 22-year-old Mananchaya may have been inexperienced at this level but the athletic Thai refused to give up seemingly lost causes.
Mananchaya struggled though on serve and three-time major champion Sabalenka broke for a 4-2 first-set lead.
The Thai refused to be overwhelmed by Sabalenka's far greater power and she broke back immediately, to roars of approval from the Beijing crowd.
Going toe-to-toe with the World No.2 🥊
— wta (@WTA) September 28, 2024
Thailand's Mananchaya Sawangkaew taking charge of things in Beijing!#ChinaOpen pic.twitter.com/vHfJz1nvWk
An error-prone Sabalenka could not get into her groove but created a first set point on the Thai's serve, only to put a straightforward volley wide.
She made no mistake on her second opportunity and then broke for 3-1 in the second set.
Sabalenka barely raised a smile at the end.
Also into the third round of the WTA 1000 tournament is third seed Jasmine Paolini but the Italian did it the hard way, fighting back to beat Denmark's Clara Tauson 1-6, 7-5, 6-4.
World No 1 and defending champion Iga Swiatek pulled out before the tournament because of "personal matters".