Australian Open champion Sabalenka loses in Dubai on return to action against Vekic

Aryna Sabalenka, the Australian Open champion, was defeated in the second round by Donna Vekic at the Dubai Tennis Championships upon her return to action, with a score of 6-7, 6-3, 6-0.

Sabalenka, who clinched her second Grand Slam title at Melbourne Park last month, appeared to be on course for a straightforward win after narrowly taking the first set and securing an early break in the next. However, Vekic had different plans.

Despite having won five out of her previous seven encounters with the world number two, the Croatian found herself on the brink of going 3-0 down in the second set. Nevertheless, she produced a remarkable sliced winner from a deep position to level the score at deuce.

This moment proved to be the turning point of the match, as Vekic went on to win an impressive 12 out of the next 13 games, ultimately securing the victory. She will now face Sorana Cirstea (33), who defeated Veronika Kudermetova (26) with a score of 6-1, 6-4.

Sabalenka expressed her dissatisfaction with the conditions in Dubai, stating that they do not suit her style of play. She felt that the court was particularly challenging for her.

Despite leading throughout the match and winning the first set, Sabalenka admitted that her performance was subpar. She acknowledged that Vekic also did not play her best, but the Croatian capitalized on Sabalenka's struggles and made a strong comeback.

Vekic, ranked 31st in the world, emphasized her resilience and belief in her ability to win. She never gave up and continued to fight until the end. Interestingly, she mentioned that she approached this week as a semi-vacation, spending more time on the beach than on the court. Perhaps this relaxed mindset contributed to her success.

In other matches, Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova (24) faced a tough challenge from American Peyton Stearns (22) before eventually securing a 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 victory. Meanwhile, former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko (26) comfortably defeated Swiss player Lulu Sun (23) with a score of 6-3, 6-3.

Elena Rybakina, the champion of Brisbane and Abu Dhabi, secured her spot in the round of 16 after her opponent, former world number one Victoria Azarenka, was forced to retire due to an injury.

The match was leveled at 4-6, 6-2 when Azarenka had to withdraw. Meanwhile, Maria Sakkari, the eighth seed, ended her three-match losing streak with a convincing 6-2, 6-4 victory over Emma Navarro. Sakkari will now face Jasmine Paolini, who defeated Leylah Fernandez 6-3, 6-4.