Aryna Sabalenka reached the last 16 of the Italian Open on Sunday after battling back from a set down to beat Sofia Kenin 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
World number one Sabalenka came through a tough match with former Australian Open winner Kenin to set up a clash with Marta Kostyuk, who beat Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-2.
The Belarusian has a great opportunity to claim her first Rome title, and third 1000 series crown of the season, after three-time winner Iga Swiatek was dumped out by Danielle Collins on Saturday.
Sabalenka has reached the final of her last four tournaments, winning in both Miami and Madrid, and is now hot favourite at the Foro Italico even after Sunday’s below-par display.
Last year’s losing finalist was not at the races in the first set, consistently misplacing her backhands before appearing to complain about the surface on centre court.
And she continued to lament her game even as she slowly turned the match around, breaking Kenin at the seventh time of asking in the second game of the third set before immediately being broken back to love.
But in the end Sabalenka had too much for Kenin, showing her fighting spirit even while battling against her own performance.
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