Sabalenka edges out Barty

Zhuhai ( China), Oct. 30: Big- hitting Aryna Sabalenka was too strong for Ashleigh Barty in the opening singles clash of the WTA Elite Trophy in China on Tuesday, taking the match 6- 4, 6- 4.

The tournament’s youngest player produced some aggressive tennis in Zhuhai, showing the form that has seen her shoot up the world rankings from 39th to 12th place in just three months.

Belarus’s Sabalenka, 20, made the most of breaking Australian Barty, 22, in the very first game of the match, seeing out a nip- and- tuck opening set.

In- form Sabalenka looked the more confident of the two in the early stages, and the third seed held her nerve to pull out her first two aces to clinch the set.

Ninth seed Barty took the initiative in the second set, breaking in the fourth game, only for Sabalenka to break back in Barty’s two following service games.

The pair produced some thrilling base- line battles for the spectators at the Hengqin International Tennis Center, but Sabalenka turned the screw to see out the match in one hour, 26 minutes.

Their clash was their first round robin match, with both yet to play eighth seed and world number 18 Caroline Garcia from France.

“I think I played well in the first set, and in the second set I probably started to rush a little and make a lot of mistakes, and kind of stupid mistakes,” Sabalenka said after the match.

“But I think the game was quite good, just a few a stupid moments,” Barty said. — AFP