Aryna Sabalenka's recent victory over qualifier Mananchaya Sawangkaew at the WTA Beijing Open marked a significant milestone, as it secured her 13th consecutive win. This triumph underscores Sabalenka’s exceptional form following her US Open victory, reinforcing her status as a formidable competitor on hard courts . The match showcased not only her powerful baseline play but also her strategic acumen in navigating the challenges posed by an emerging player like Sawangkaew.
Reigning US Open champion Sabalenka had her hands full with rising 22-year-old Sawangkaew for large portions of the encounter, but the World No.2 prevailed after 76 minutes of play and collected her 13th straight match-win on the Hologic WTA Tour.
China, where she has won four of her 16 career singles titles. However, the top seed has yet to take home the trophy in Beijing, with two quarterfinal runs being her best results in the Chinese capital.
These two have played once which Amanda Anisimova won back in 2019. Both were teenagers at that time and have improved a lot since, especially Osorio. Anisimova had to retire at the Korea Open last week but her participation here suggests nothing is serious. The American has shown flashes of great tennis recently. Reaching the finals in Toronto was huge for her. Camila Osorio is slowly becoming a tough player to beat with her impressive fighting spirit but Anisimova is the favourite and should advance if she plays close to her best.
Sawangkaew demonstrated commendable skill and resilience, it was clear that Sabalenka's rank as world number two and her extensive experience provided a substantial advantage. This victory is indicative of Sabalenka's trajectory within the sport and suggests that she is poised for further success in upcoming tournaments.
Sabalenka moved one step closer to her first Beijing crown with victory on Saturday, but Sawangkaew challenged the three-time Grand Slam champion with outstanding speed, relentless defense and crafty winners in their showdown.
World No.187 Sawangkaew made her tour-level debut last week in Hua Hin, and she earned her first tour-level win in this week's opening round over Zarina Diyas. The Thai brought her surging form into her first meeting with a Top 80 player, let alone the World No.2.
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