Speed Post News Network
Patna : World No 6 Maria Sakkari, 26, Greece, upset World No 2 Aryna Sabalenka, 23, Belarus, in a three-set contest in a Group stage match at season-ending Akron WTA Finals at Zapopan, Guadalajara, Mexico, on November 16, 2021. Sakkari beat top seed Sabalenka in a close contest 7-6, 6-7, 6-3 in a 2hr 47 minutes match.
Sabalenka committed 19 double faults during the match to 8 by Sakkari. The Greek fired 8 Aces during the match to 7 by the Belarusian. Sakkari won 8 break points during the match to 6 by Sabalenka. Sakkari won 5 gmes in a row during the match to 3 by Sabalenka. The Greek, in all, won 120 points in the match to 108 points by the Belarusian. Sabalenka had earlier lost to World No 10 Paula Badosa, 24, Spain, in a Group stage match on November 12, 2021.
World No 9 Iga Swiatek, 20,Poland, defeated World No 10 Paula Badosa, Spain, in straight sets 7-5, 6-4 in 1hr 39 minutes in another Group stage match on November 16, 2021. Swiatek, the 2020 French Open champion, won 4 break points during the match to 2 by Badosa, who fired 5 Aces. The Spaniard committed 5 double faults to 3 by Swiatek. The Greek won 4 games in a row during the match to 3 by Badosa, who had earlier won her first two Group stage matches. Swiatek, in all, won 78 points in the match to 68 by Badosa.