( Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail )
Sabalenka Advances to Berlin Open Quarter-Finals, Gauff Stunned by Qualifier Wang Xinyu
BERLIN: World No. 3 Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the quarter-finals of the Berlin Open on Thursday after completing a 6-2, 7-6(6) victory over Switzerland’s Rebeka Masarova in a match that had been suspended the previous day due to slippery court conditions.
Meanwhile, reigning French Open champion Coco Gauff suffered a shock early exit after a straight-sets defeat to Chinese qualifier Wang Xinyu, in a disappointing start to her grass-court season ahead of Wimbledon.
Sabalenka Overcomes Suspension Drama to Secure Win
Sabalenka, playing her first match since finishing runner-up to Gauff in Paris, had taken the first set on Wednesday before officials halted the match due to increasing humidity that made the grass court unsafe.
The decision to suspend the match left Sabalenka visibly frustrated, as she questioned the call to stop play. “You are stopping the match because she says that side is slippery? I just played two games on that side,” the Belarusian told the umpire.
When play resumed on Thursday, the top seed found herself trailing in the second set, down 3-1 and 4-2, but rallied to force a tiebreak. After squandering two match points, Sabalenka eventually sealed the win when Masarova mishit a forehand into the net.
Sabalenka will next face Elena Rybakina, ranked 11th in the world, who secured her spot in the quarter-finals with a 6-4, 7-6(5) win over Czech player Katerina Siniakova.
Coco Gauff Upset by China’s Wang Xinyu
It was a tough day on grass for Coco Gauff, who was outplayed by Wang Xinyu, losing 6-3, 6-3 in her opening match of the tournament. Gauff, who won her maiden Grand Slam at Roland Garros just weeks ago, looked uncomfortable on the slick surface in Berlin.
Wang broke Gauff in the seventh game of the first set and took advantage of a double fault and a failed drop shot from the American to clinch the opener. Gauff took an early lead in the second, going up 3-1, but Wang dominated from there, winning five consecutive games to seal the upset victory.
“After I won the first set I told myself, ‘enjoy this for a minute,’” said Wang. “I was really happy with how I played. I put a lot of pressure on her and stayed strong in the tough moments.” Wang now moves on to face Spain’s Paula Badosa, the tournament’s eighth seed.
Vondrousova Battles Through to Quarter-Finals
In another exciting match, Marketa Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon champion, needed three sets and over two hours to overcome Russia’s Diana Shnaider. The Czech star eventually triumphed 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-3 and will face Ons Jabeur, who entered the draw as a lucky loser and is a two-time Wimbledon finalist.
Berlin Open Quarter-Final Line-Up Taking Shape
As the action heats up in Berlin, fans can look forward to high-stakes clashes featuring several top names in women’s tennis, just days before the start of Wimbledon 2025. Stay tuned for more updates, live scores, and player interviews from the grass-court season.
