By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, July 7, 2023
Aryna Sabalenka rallied from a set and 4-5 down, defeating Varvara Gracheva 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 to set up a Wimbledon third round vs. 40th-ranked Anna Blinkova.
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Sitting in her court-side chair, Aryna Sabalenka had an ice bag on her head and heated challenge on her hands.
The second-seeded Sabalenka kept cool amid scorching stress to keep her Wimbledon hopes alive.
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Rallying from a one-set, 4-5 deficit, Sabalenka won nine of the last 11 games subduing Varvara Gracheva 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 to battle into the third round for the second time.
It was Sabalenka's 50th career Grand Slam win and she had to earn every bit of it.
"It was really tough match," Sabalenka said. "I'm just super happy that I was able to get through it in the second set to finally find my game, yeah, fight through this tough match."
It wasn't easy, it wasn't always pretty—the Belarusian scattered 35 unforced errors and converted just 4 of 16 break-point chances—but Sabalenka should take satisfaction from the fact she withstood the pressure and grew stronger as the match progressed.
Sabalenka slashed her eighth ace to close a tricky test two minutes shy of two hours.
"I didn't play my best tennis. It was really crazy, crazy experience," Sabalenka said. "But then I change my strings, kind of adjust my game a little bit, start feeling better on court.
"I was just keep telling myself keep fighting, keep trying, and probably you'll be able to turn around this game. Yeah, super tough one and super happy to get this win."
The Australian Open champion improved to 37-7 on the season, second to world No. 1 Iga Swiatek for most wins on the WTA Tour this season.
The 2021 Wimbledon semifinalist has a shot to surpass Swiatek for the top spot in the rankings, but she'll need to reach her first Wimbledon final to do it.
The 22-year-old Gracheva was born in Moscow, but has trained in France for recent years and recently switched from Russian to French nationality.
Credit Gracheva, who took the court with three career grass-court wins to her credit, for thumping her serve, attacking her forehand using some touch to unsettle Sabalenka.
In just her second tournament playing as a Frenchwoman, Gracheva showed no trace of nerves, often matched Sabalenka’s prodigious power and played cleaner tennis for a set-and-a-half.
Grunting loudly, Sabalenka sent a backhand wide as Gracheva held firm for 5-2.
A sloppy Sabalenka sprayed another backhand to cede the break and opening set. As she walked to her court-side seat, the frustrated Belarusian pointed an index finger to her temple muttering misgivings to her box.
Neither woman could gain separation for most of the second set as Gracheva, who converted all three break points she had, stayed in step on serve to put pressure squarely on Sabalenka's shoulders.
Serving to stay in the tournament at 4-5, Sabalenka shifted into a higher gear.
The second-seeded Sabalenka surged through eight of the next nine points breaking at 15 for a 6-5 lead.
Sabalenka served out the second set to force a decider.
At that point, Sabalenka seemed to have the momentum opening a triple-break point lead to start the final set.
Gracheva responded with a five-point run to repel the threat and hold.
Dialing in her drives, Sabalenka reduced the unforced errors and pushed Gracheva back behind the baseline with her power breaking at 15 for a 2-1 lead in the decider.
Digging in to deny a break point, Gracheva held firm for 2-3.
After a spirited battle, Sabalenka cruised through the final three games. Sabalenka secured her second break of the set for a 5-2 lead when Gracheva double faulted.
Though Sabalenka's second serve wasn't getting the kick it usually does on other surfaces (she won only 9 of 27 second-serve points), when she landed her first serve she permitted just seven points.
Sabalenka smacked one final ace to close and set up a third-round clash vs. Anna Blinkova. Sabalenka has won both prior meetings with the 40th-ranked Blinkova, but both have gone the three-set distance.