A. Sabalenka, who had previously been eliminated from the 2021 Wimbledon Championships, returned to the court in perfect form at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Following her strong showing in the first round, big hopes were placed on her performance in the second round against Donna Vekic.
She may have been the favourite, but she couldn’t take her opponent lightly. While it would be wonderful if A. Sabalenka lived up to her No. 3 ranking in the world, ignoring the chance of a significant upset would be a mistake. Her Croatian opponent, though, gave the impression of being both aggressive and prepared for war.
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A. Sabalenka Made a Miraculous Comeback.
From the very first swing, both players appeared to be in fine shape. They were totally committed, and they didn’t flinch for a second.
They were tied at 1-1 until the fourth game of the first set, when they both put on exemplary displays of serve and sportsmanship to win.
However, Vekic used her expertise to get the crucial service break in game 5 and triumph over her opponent. Eventually, she finished off the first set with a 46-point victory. She won 27 games out of a possible 50 on her first serve and 20 games out of a possible 23 on her second.
A. Sabalenka Needed to Win the Second Set
A. Sabalenka needed to win the second set to keep her tournament hopes alive, but Vekic was already halfway to the next round.
Not a single player’s demeanour changed as the match moved into the second set. A. Sabalenka, on the other hand, showed up to the party looking refreshed and ready to seize the initiative.
From the get-go, she radiated a sense of increased sharpness and lethality. After struggling in the first set, she came out strong in the second, taking the first three games to take control.
But Vekic wasn’t the kind to fold under duress, as she battled back to win the set by a score of 5-3 after being down 3-0. Aryna came dangerously close to throwing away a hard-won second chance. The 23-year-old A. Sabalenka had a tough time against Vekic’s stellar defensive display.
Unfazed, A. Sabalenka went on to win the second set 6-3. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics were coming down to the wire, with a decisive round just around the corner.
Final Words
The fans were on the edge of their seats as they watched the exciting match. When it seemed like A. Sabalenka had no chance of winning, she staged a miraculous comeback.
Naturally, she took her energy from the second set into the deciding set. A. Sabalenka appeared to be invincible despite Vekic’s best attempts. She quickly took control of the contest by breaking serve in the opening game.
Vekic, though, was not willing to give up. She had fallen behind early in the set but rallied to win the next two sets. A. Sabalenka led 3-2 in the third set at the halfway point.
