LONDON: Aryna Sabalenka, a self-confessed fan of the movie Rocky, displayed the 'Eye of the Tiger' on Wednesday to overcome a spirited challenge from American McCartney Kessler, winning 6-1, 7-6(9) in the second round of Wimbledon. The Belarusian, who has a tiger tattoo on her left forearm, survived a second-set surge from Kessler to keep her quest for a first Wimbledon title alive.
Dominant Start, Then a Fightback
Sabalenka started at her ruthless best, racing through the first set 6-1 with aggressive baseline play. However, Kessler, who had not dropped a game in her first-round match, stormed to a 5-2 lead in the second set. Sabalenka's frustration was visible as she repeatedly slapped her thigh after missed opportunities.
Kessler held two set points at 5-3 and two more in the tiebreak, but Sabalenka's experience and powerful groundstrokes rescued her. The top seed converted her third match point to seal the victory after one hour and 39 minutes, extending her record of consecutive tiebreak wins to 21.
Sabalenka Praises Kessler's Fight
“It was truly a great fight and the level in that second set from her was amazing. She really tested me today. I'm super happy to pass the test,” Sabalenka said. “She played incredible and super aggressive. It was really tough to handle the second set, and I'm glad I powered through.”
Sabalenka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, has yet to reach a Wimbledon final. She will next face Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko for a place in the last 16.
No Rocky-Themed Outfit
When asked if she would wear a Rocky-themed outfit like Naomi Osaka's 'Kill Bill' kimono, Sabalenka laughed. “I don't know how I would do my outfit... going on the match with boxing gloves or something — that would be tricky,” she said.
