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Sabalenka overcomes Bouzkova challenge to reach Wimbledon third round / Photo: © AFP
Sabalenka overcomes Bouzkova challenge to reach Wimbledon third round
World number one Aryna Sabalenka overcame a tough test to beat Marie Bouzkova 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 and progress to the Wimbledon third round on Wednesday, avoiding the fate of many of her title rivals.
A number of top players exited in the first round at the All England Club, including second seed Coco Gauff, third seed Jessica Pegula and fifth seed Zheng Qinwen.
Top seed Sabalenka was pushed hard by Bouzkova in Wednesday's opening match on Centre Court as her Czech opponent matched fire with fire in a bruising encounter.
The first set went with serve until Sabalenka doubled-faulted in the 11th game to give her 48th-ranked opponent the chance to serve for the set.
But the Belarusian broke back with a searing backhand down the line and came out on top in the tie-break to establish a foothold in the match.
Sabalenka broke again in the fifth game of the second set to move within sight of victory and closed out the match with little fuss.
Although Sabalenka is a three-time Grand Slam champion, she has suffered agonising three-set defeats in this year's Australian Open and French Open finals.
The 27-year-old has never been beyond the Wimbledon semi-finals and missed last year's tournament with a shoulder injury.
J.L. de Oliveira--JDB
