These two competitors seem to magnets to major tournament heartbreaks. Ons Jabeur reached two grand slam finals with no success(the Wimbledon one was especially painful) this year whilst Aryna hasn't won a Slam despite going to the final week on numerous occasions in the past. But this is a new ball game, tournament is back on US soil for the first time in 17 years, two US players one is a first timer. Now, Jabeur is famous for her sudden switch up (should I say down) during rallies with that menacing drop shot of hers, this game was no exception. Check out 3-2 Ons 15-0. The execution here from the Tunisian wasn't on point in that she didn't get enough back spin on the drop shot to make it hard for the advancing Sabalenka to get to it. The height was way to much as well. Contrast that to perfect execution in form of 3-2(40-30) The break was enough to win the first set for Ons with the double break the icing on the cake at 5-3. Let's face it Saba isn't the best at coming from set down in matches, her fighting mentality I question numerous times. I am glad she proved me wrong this match. Check out the forehand at 3-1 adv Aryna on deuce. That's her specialty with the trick being the back lift she gets as she hits the ball.
She nearly threw the middle set away though. Set point 5-3(40-30), yes she frames the return but what does she do after? She doesn't attack the net, staying rooted to the baseline did her a massive disservice here giving Ons a bigger angle to aim at. Fortunately Saba came out of the breaker unscathed, that edge on second serve proved crucial even in the last set, Saba winning 56% on that serve to Ons's 44%. It's ok to double fault but not on crucial points that hurt you, Ons had 5 to Aryna's 6 but the crucial one at 6-5 in the breaker, wow. Best point of the game, third set 1-1(30-15) Jabeur with a difficult lob on the stretch. Such was the closeness of the match scoreboard wise that the margin for error was so little. Who seized the moment? Check out 6-5(30-40) Sabalenka. Ons must have seen something to go for it so early in the point, I guess she figured out if she found the angle with the cross court forehand first point of the game, she would make it again here. This is a monster win for Sabalenka, here to hoping she finally realizes her truly potential in Forth Worth.
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