Muguruza Too Strong For Sabalenka In Dubai; Gauff Goes Down
For the second straight week, Garbine Muguruza toughed out Aryna Sabalenka in three sets. Last week in Doha, the two played a classic, and today it wasn’t quite on that level but it still went the distance with Muguruza prevailing from a set down 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Sabalenka led by a set and a break before Muguruza began to assert herself. She finished 5-for-11 on break chances in the win over the Belarussian.
“I felt like she came out today more aggressive than our last match in Doha,” Muguruza said. “I felt like she wanted to play more aggressive, faster, serving big, and I kind of struggled to find my shots, my game, and she quickly broke me with the serve and took [the first set].
“But then I tried to be more aggressive as well. If you have somebody in front of you that is trying to win the point in a couple of shots, you have to be faster and stronger, so I tried to be dominant after. Then everything was more equal. I felt more in the points.”
Muguruza will now meet Elise Mertens in the semifinals. Mertens saved three match points and overcame a 7-5, 5-2 hole to come back and win 11 straight games and take the match 5-7, 7-5, 6-0.
After coming from a set down to win five of her last eight matches, Coco Gauff didn’t have another comeback in her today as she fell to Swiss Jill Teichmann 6-3, 6-3.
Teichmann, who earned a walkover in the third round from Petra Kvitova, will now face surprise Barbora Krejcikova for a spot in the final.
Krejcikova blew past Anastasia Potapova 6-0, 6-2.
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