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Incredible match that has escaped Paula Badosa in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. The Spaniard has lost after having up to 6 match balls against Elena Rybakina who ended up beating her by 4-6/7-6/7-6.
First set very complete Paula, very aggressive to the rest, getting many break balls against a Kazakh player who at no time was comfortable with his service. The Spaniard took two of the six break balls to end up closing the first set by six games to four. Elena, meanwhile, won only one of three. In general, the big difference between the two was in the points won on second serve. In that section Paula was much better (71% despite a poor 47 of her rival). The New Yorker continued with good feelings.
The number 9 seed of the tournament continued with the same sensations at the beginning of the second and broke from the start to place herself one-nil up. The 27 year old Catalan was getting the match very much in her face.
However, Rybakina reacted very well and did not want to leave the duel, which made a counter break and turned the scoreboard. I did not want the second set was the final.
Rybakina raised the level of play, broke her opponent again and took a 5-3 lead to win the second set. At that moment Paula reacted, broke and placed the 5-4 on the scoreboard. Finally the sleeve was decided in sudden death. She saved up to 4 match balls Rybakina before equalizing the duel to a set (10-8 in the tie break).
Touched after the missed opportunities, Badosa fell apart at the beginning of the third set and Rybakina took advantage to take a 2-0 lead. She was almost all the set down the Spanish, but without letting go and when the Kazakh served to win the duel tightened and matched the game in the third set. How hard it is to win in tennis.
Badosa had two more match balls to the rest in this game, but Rybakina saved them again and the third set also went to tie-break. The Kazakh player was superior and ended up winning the match.
Match Statistics Rybakina vs. Badosa
| Rybakina | VS | Badosa |
|---|---|---|
| Service | ||
| 8 | Aces | 8 |
| 8 | Double Faults | 8 |
| 62% (84/135) | 1st Service Percentage | 59% (67/114) |
| 68% (57/84) | 1st Service Points Won | 70% (47/67) |
| 44% (22/50) | 2nd Service Points Won | 49% (23/47) |
| 71% (12/17) | Break Points Saved | 60% (6/10) |
| 71% (12/17) | Service Games | 76% (13/17) |
| Return | ||
| 30% (20/67) | 1st Return Points Won | 32% (27/84) |
| 51% (24/47) | 2nd Return Points Won | 56% (28/50) |
| - | Break Points Saved | - |
| Other | ||
| 2h 47m | Match Duration | 2h 47m |
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