Paula Badosa stuns top-seed Sabalenka

Sabalenka, the world’s No. 2 ranked player, dominated early in the match to take a 4-2 lead, but Badosa recovered and won four games in a row to win the first set and then controlled the second with three breaks

Paula Badosa started off slowly but won 10 games in a row to upset top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 6-0 in their opening match at the WTA Finals.

Sabalenka, the world’s No. 2 ranked player, dominated early in the match to take a 4-2 lead, but Badosa recovered and won four games in a row to win the first set and then controlled the second with three breaks. Sabalenka, who won titles in Abu Dhabi and Madrid this season, is the first seed in Mexico because World No. 1-ranked Ash Barty of Australia decided not to defend her WTA Finals title due to continuing COVID-19 travel and quarantine restrictions.

Barty had to undergo two weeks of quarantine when she returned to her Brisbane home in September after the US Open and did not want to do the same again traveling to Mexico.

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