MADRID (AP) — Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka faced tough resistance in her opening match at the Madrid Open before beating Magda Linette 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 on Friday.
The second-ranked Sabalenka struggled with her serve at times, but the two-time Australian Open winner struck her 10th ace on match point at the Caja Magica in Spain’s capital.
Sabalenka got some help from the net to get a key break and go up 5-3 in the third set when Linette was unable to reach a shot by the Belarusian that clipped the top of the tape.
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek won her opening match on Thursday. Sabalenka beat Swiatek in last year’s final in Madrid and also won here in 2021.
Fourth-seeded Elena Rybakina beat Lucia Bronzetti 6-4, 6-3, while American Ashlyn Krueger downed Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3, 6-3.
Mirra Andreeva, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Carolina Garcia, and Jasmine Paolini also advanced.
The number of fish on US overfishing list reaches an all
Thomas Kingston dies aged 45: How the royal family will form a tight circle of support around much
Auckland trains on eastern and southern lines suspended
Rihanna shows off her bold pink hair as she supports baby daddy A$AP Rocky at Puma pop
How Princess Diana's audacious bid for freedom 30 years ago became a heart
Arsenal needs a favor from Tottenham in the title race. Current form suggests it won't happen
Former footballer Joe Thompson, 35, is diagnosed with cancer for the third time
Winnipeg Jets coach Rick Bowness is retiring after 38 NHL seasons
China jails Canadian tycoon Xiao Jianhua for 13 years for finance crimes