Donna Vekic came back from a set and a break down to beat two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-0 after 2 hours and 22 minutes in the second round at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Vekic has scored her sixth win in eight head-to-head matches against Sabalenka dating back to 2016. The Croatian player beat her Belarusian rival at the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo and in the 2022 San Diego quarter finals.
Vekic has scored her eighth win against a top 5 opponent and the first since she beat Elena Rybakina in the 2023 Berlin second round.
Vekic earned the first break in the third game to take a 2-1 lead. Sabalenka broke straight back in the fourth game to draw level to 2-2. Sabalenka broke for the second time in the eighth game to open up a 5-3 lead. Vekic broke straight back to draw level to 5-5 and saved three set points at 5-6. Sabalenka earned three mini-breaks to win the tie-break 7-5. Sabalenka earned an immediate break in the first game of the second set to open up a 2-0 lead. Vekic faced a break point in the third game, but she saved it with a backhand to hold serve at deuce.
Vekic hit 25 winners to just nine unforced errors. The Croatian player broke for the second time in the third set to take a 3-0 lead, as Sabalenka made a double fault. Sabalenka made two more double faults to go down 5-0. Vekic served out the win on her first match point.
“I know that I have a winning head-to-head, but she beat me in Australia last year in the quarter finals. That one hurt quite a lot. It was quite tough to serve out there today. It was windy. I think we were both breaking each other’s serves a lot. She played amazingly well in the tie-break. I had a great start in the second set. I think I got a bit lucky with that slice passing shot. That’s tennis, things can turn around in one point. At all times I did not give up. I did not stop believing that I could win. I just kept fighting”, said Vekic.
