Aryna Sabalenka recently experienced defeat in the French Open semi-finals to Czech athlete Karolina Muchova.
The globally ranked number two player, Aryna Sabalenka, encountered a setback in her preparation for Wimbledon as she lost to Veronika Kudermetova in the German Open.
In the second round at Berlin, the top-seeded Belarusian succumbed 6-2 7-6 (7-2) to the Russian wildcard.
Sabalenka’s loss at the grass-court event makes her another top player who did not perform as expected, following Wimbledon defending champion Elena Rybakina’s defeat on Wednesday. American fifth seed Coco Gauff also bowed out following a loss in straight sets.
Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia, who secured a win at the Libema Open last week, dominated 11 of the previous 12 games, producing an impressive 6-4 6-0 victory over Gauff in a mere 75 minutes.
The tournament in Berlin marked Sabalenka’s first after her semi-final appearance in the French Open. She had anticipated gaining ample match experience on grass leading up to her first Wimbledon tournament since 2021.
Sabalenka, aged 25, was unable to participate at SW19 last year due to a ban on Russian and Belarusian players by the All England Club following the Ukraine invasion.
However, the Australian Open champion stumbled early on in her match against 10th world-ranked Kudermetova, losing a double break and managing just two games in the first set.
In the second set, Sabalenka went down a break and battled through a tie-break filled with mistakes, allowing 26-year-old Kudermetova to smoothly advance to the quarter-finals.
In other news, Italian fourth seed Jannik Sinner, aged 21, managed to reverse his fortunes at the Halle Open in Germany, defeating fellow Italian Lorenzo Sonego 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 6-4, thereby earning a spot in the quarter-finals.
Sinner, a Wimbledon quarter-finalist last year, has required three sets to claim victory in all his matches so far in Germany. He will now face Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan, world rank 48, in the quarter-finals, following Bublik’s win over local favourite Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3 6-7 (4-7) 6-3.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Aryna Sabalenka’s German Open defeat
What was Aryna Sabalenka’s result in the German Open?
Aryna Sabalenka was beaten by Veronika Kudermetova in the second round of the German Open, losing 6-2 7-6 (7-2).
How did Aryna Sabalenka perform in the French Open?
Aryna Sabalenka reached the semi-finals of the French Open, but she lost to Czech player Karolina Muchova.
Did any other top players face defeat in the German Open?
Yes, defending Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina and American fifth seed Coco Gauff also suffered losses in the German Open.
Why couldn’t Aryna Sabalenka compete at Wimbledon last year?
Aryna Sabalenka, along with other Russian and Belarusian players, was banned from competing at Wimbledon last year due to the All England Club’s restrictions following the invasion of Ukraine.
Who emerged as the winner in the match between Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Sonego?
Jannik Sinner defeated Lorenzo Sonego in a three-set match at the Halle Open in Germany, securing a spot in the quarter-finals.
More about Aryna Sabalenka’s German Open defeat
- German Open
- French Open
- Wimbledon
- Aryna Sabalenka
- Veronika Kudermetova
- Elena Rybakina
- Coco Gauff
- Halle Open
- Jannik Sinner
- Lorenzo Sonego
