Aryna Sabalenka has been beaten on her return to action after retaining her Australian Open crown, succumbing to Donna Vekic in blustery conditions at the Dubai Championships.
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The world No.2-ranked Sabalenka blew a set and 2-0 lead as the Croatian rallied to win 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-0 in the second round. It was her sixth win in eight meetings between them.
The No.1, Iga Swiatek, lost her serve three times in the first set before coming right and beating Sloane Stephens 6-4, 6-4. Coco Gauff, the No.3, accounted for Elisabetta Cocciaretto of Italy 6-1, 7-5.
The world No.4 Elena Rybakina also avoided an upset when Victoria Azarenka retired in distress. Azarenka won the first set 6-4 but lost the second 6-2 in increasing pain.
Sabalenka and Vekic go back eight years on the tour, and Vekic dominated the early meetings. But Sabalenka made the grand slam breakthrough when she beat Vekic in the Australian quarter-finals a year ago en route to her first major title.
Having won the first set in a tiebreak Sabalenka led 2-0 with a point for 3-0 in the second.
"I was on the beach already," Vekic admitted, but a sliced backhand passing winner that Sabalenka let go saved the game and launched her comeback.
While Sabalenka committed a series of double-faults Vekic was merciless. Winning 12 games out of 13 she set up a clash with Sorana Cirstea, who beat Veronika Kudermetova 6-1 6-4.
"I feel the conditions here don't fit me well at all. It's really tricky for me to compete here in Dubai," Sabalenka said.
"I won the first set. I was up with break. I didn't feel like I was up. The level was so bad today from me."
Also on Tuesday Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova defeated Peyton Stearns for the third time in eight months, 6-1 5-7 6-2.
Former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko eased past Lulu Sun while eighth seed Maria Sakkari snapped a run of three straight defeats beating Emma Navarro. She will take on Jasmine Paolini, who defeated Leylah Fernandez.
Away from the courts Karolina Muchova, last year's runner-up at the French Open has had an operation on her right wrist for an injury that has sidelined her since reaching the US Open semi-finals in September.
"The surgery was successful and I'm gonna do all I can to see you on the court again soon," Muchova wrote on social media.
with agencies
Australian Associated Press
