Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka faced a surprising defeat at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, losing to Donna Vekic in a thrilling match. Vekic's impressive performance saw her break Sabalenka seven times and secure victory by winning 12 out of the last 13 games. The match lasted two hours and 22 minutes, with Vekic advancing to the final 16 of the prestigious 1000 tournament. This win marked Vekic's sixth victory in eight encounters with Sabalenka since 2016.
Reflecting on her victory, Vekic expressed her happiness at defeating the world No 2 player, acknowledging Sabalenka's strong form this year. Vekic credited her success to bringing her best tennis to the court and was pleased with the outcome of the match. She will now face Sorana Cirstea in the next round, who defeated Veronika Kudermetova in straight sets.
