Tennis Indian Wells, Paolini beats the world No. 3 Sabalenka

The first time is never forgotten. In the second round of Indian Wells Jasmine Paolini beats the number 3 in the world, Aryna Sabalenka, and she finds her first career success against a top-10, after four defeats: 2-6 6-3 6-3 the final score. The Italian tennis player grows during the match and takes advantage of the empty passes of the Belarusian, who continues to quarrel with the service and collect double faults (10): for Paolini it is the best victory of her career, the seeded number 2 greets the tournament.

The match

As often happened at the beginning of the season, Sabalenka is contracted to serve. But Paolini doesn’t take advantage of it: two break points saved by the Belarusian in the first game, then it’s up to Jasmine to keep the serve in a complicated situation. To break the balance in the opening set is Sabalenka’s break in the sixth game, the second break closes the set at 6-2. A partial escaped too quickly, considering the imperfection of the Belarusian in the service. But in the second set Paolini stays better in the exchanges, he dares more; Sabalenka, for her part, does not find continuity. And so Jasmine flies to 4-1 with two breaks ahead, Aryna recovers one but that’s not enough: 6-3. In the third set balance reigns, Sabalenka does not commit double faults and serves more carefully. But on the other side of the net there is a confident Paolini, good at keeping the backhand diagonal and winning spectacular and heavy points: at 4-3 the decisive break, which decides the game.