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Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the round of 16 at the Italian Open on Sunday after coming from a set down to defeat Sofia Kenin 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
World number one Sabalenka succeeded in a challenging match against former Australian Open champion Kenin, setting up a meeting with Marta Kostyuk, who triumphed over Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-2.
The Belarusian has a prime chance to secure her first title in Rome and her third 1000 series title this season, as three-time champion Iga Swiatek was eliminated by Danielle Collins on Saturday.
Sabalenka has reached the finals of her last four tournaments, with victories in Miami and Madrid. This makes her the favourite at the Foro Italico despite her disappointing performance on Sunday.
The runner-up from last year’s tournament struggled in the initial set, frequently mis-hitting her backhands and appearing to express dissatisfaction with the court surface on centre stage.
She continued to voice her frustrations with her game even while she gradually turned the match in her favour, breaking Kenin after several attempts in the second game of the final set, only to be broken back without scoring.
Ultimately, Sabalenka proved too strong for Kenin, demonstrating her resilience despite battling with her form.
