Sabalenka Stunned in Doha Opener
Aryna Sabalenka’s return to action after her Australian Open heartbreak ended in disappointment, as the world No. 1 suffered a surprise exit at the WTA 1000 event in Doha.
Following a first-round bye, the top seed faced Ekaterina Alexandrova in her opening match at the Qatar Open. Despite a strong start, Sabalenka ultimately fell to the world No. 26 in a dramatic 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(5) upset.
Sabalenka looked in control early, securing a break in the fourth game and fending off seven break points across two service games. However, Alexandrova refused to fade.
After missing several first-set opportunities, the Russian bounced back in the second, earning an early break. Although Sabalenka briefly recovered, Alexandrova broke again in the eighth game and served out the set to force a decider.
The third set saw Sabalenka take the lead twice, but Alexandrova clawed back on both occasions to force a tiebreak. The Russian then surged to a 6-3 lead and, on her third match point, sealed a stunning comeback victory.
Sabalenka Had Modest Expectations for Doha
Arriving in Doha just two weeks after her emotional loss in the Australian Open final, the 26-year-old downplayed expectations, suggesting she would use Doha and next week’s Dubai tournament as preparation for the Sunshine Double in Indian Wells and Miami.
“The schedule is actually pretty tough, especially if you make it to the last stage of the Australian Open. You don’t have much time to recover and prepare for these big events,” Sabalenka said in her pre-tournament press conference.
“I believe I’ll just take these two tournaments as preparation for the Sunshine Double, try to build my tennis, and hopefully take it to the next level.”
With her Doha campaign cut short, all eyes will now be on how Sabalenka responds in Dubai.
