The World Tennis League kicked off with a thrilling opener as Aryna Sabalenka of Team Hawks narrowly defeated Team Falcons’ Elena Rybakina in a nail-biting match that kept spectators on the edge of their seats. Sabalenka, the powerful Belarusian, stormed to a 5-0 lead in the first set in Abu Dhabi, appearing to be on the verge of a straightforward win. The three-time Grand Slam champion was in complete control, denying Rybakina any chance of a break point early on.
However, the match took an unexpected turn as Rybakina began to capitalize on Sabalenka’s missed opportunities. Despite Sabalenka having ten match points across five critical moments, the Kazakh star fought back, forcing a tie-break. With mounting pressure, Sabalenka showed her championship grit, regaining control in the tie-break and finally closing out the set 7-6 (3) on her tenth match point.
The 44-minute match was a rollercoaster of emotions. After Sabalenka’s early dominance, Rybakina managed to avoid a bagel, breaking her service slump to get on the scoreboard. She displayed incredible resilience, saving eight match points in her service games and pushing the contest to a dramatic conclusion. In the tie-break, Rybakina surged to a 3-1 lead, threatening a complete comeback. But Sabalenka responded with a remarkable run of six straight points, sealing her victory.
This win adds to Sabalenka’s impressive record against Rybakina, having also beaten her in their previous clash at last year’s World Tennis League.
