INDIAN WELLS: Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka saved four match points and needed four of her own to beat Payton Stearns 6-7 (2/7), 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) on Saturday. Indian Wells Champions.
In her opening match, the world number two was pushed to the limit by the American outsider ranked 64th.
The match became a struggle from the start for Sabalenkova, who lost the opening match in Dubai in February.
But she broke Stearns as the American served for the biggest upset of her career, leading 5-4 in the third set to go 40-0 up.
Sabalenka saved one match point with a stinging backhand winner and Stearns started to tighten, Sabalenka broke at 5-5.
Stearns would break Sabakenka again but was unable to serve and Sabalenkova prevailed in the tiebreak.
The two-time Grand Slam winner finally advanced to the third round on her fourth occasion and let out a cry of triumph and relief.
“This match will definitely go down in the book of craziest matches and best matches of my career,” she said.
Sabalenkova also rolled her ankle during the evening’s intense match, but said she will be ready for the next match.
“I tried (after the injury), I tried so hard to get to every ball and put every ball back.
“I feel good now, we’ll see tomorrow. But I have a great team and I’m pretty sure they’ll take care of it, so I’ll be ready for the next game.”
She added: “I’m very happy that I didn’t give up and really pushed myself hard.
“Even though I wasn’t playing my best tennis and she was crushing it like crazy, I tried to stay in the game and fight for every point.
Sabalenkova, last year’s runner-up to Elena Rybakin in the California desert, has booked a third-round meeting with 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu of Britain.
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