Aryna Sabalenka defeated McCartney Kessler in the second round of Wimbledon on July 1. The world No. 1 dropped the first set 6-1 but rallied from a 5-2 deficit in the second set to win in a tie-break.
Sabalenka praised her opponent after the match. “That was a true battle. I’m super happy I was able to stay in that 2nd set and get into the tie-break,” she said. She added that Kessler “really tested me” and rated her own performance 9 out of 10 because of the difficulty.
The Belarusian had taken the opening set comfortably. Kessler then raised her level, broke serve to lead 4-2, and held two set points while serving at 5-3. Sabalenka saved both and later sealed the win with her 32nd winner of the match on her third match point.
Sabalenka will next face Jelena Ostapenko in the third round. Ostapenko beat Antonia Ruzic in 66 minutes during her own second-round match. The pair have met four times previously, with Sabalenka leading the head-to-head 3-1.