Aryna Sabalenka dominates Maria Sakkari to open her WTA Finals campaign

World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka won her round-robin opener at the GNP Seguros WTA Finals Cancun, defeating No.8 seed Maria Sakkari. Sabalenka needed 74 minutes to win 6-0, 6-1 in the tenth meeting between the familiar rivals.

Sabalenka now leads the Bacalar Group at 1-0, alongside No.5 Jessica Pegula, who won her opener in straight sets against Elena Rybakina.

Sabalenka entered the match with a 6-3 head-to-head advantage, including a 2-0 record this season. However, Sakkari had a 2-0 record against Sabalenka in the WTA Finals, with victories in Guadalajara and Fort Worth.

This week's stakes are high for Sabalenka. Sabalenka, who finished second last year, has a chance to become the first player since Serena Williams in 2013 and 2014 to reach back-to-back year-end finals. She is also battling Iga Swiatek to finish the year as the 16th WTA year-end No.1.

Sabalenka showed no signs of nerves or pressure in her tournament opener. Sabalenka won the first set in 37 minutes after saving four break points to keep the score at 3-0. It was Sakkari's first 6-0 loss of the season. The Greek last dropped a 6-0 set in 2022 in Adelaide.

Sabalenka maintained her controlled aggression throughout the second set, earning three match points at 6-0, 5-0. But Sakkari snuffed out the No. 1's chances and held serve to score. Sabalenka was unfazed, holding at love and capping off her victory with her fourth ace of the night.

"The score looks really easy, but it wasn't an easy match," Sabalenka said. "I'm super happy to win this match, especially against Maria, someone who was such a big fighter and all these tough matches against her."

SportsLigue