Aryna Sabalenka won the second round of the Credit One Charleston Open on Wednesday.
Former Top 20 player Alison Riske posed a test to Sabalenka, but the No. 1 seed prevailed 7-6(3), 6-4 after 1 hour and 49 minutes of play, snapping a three-match losing run.
Sabalenka had beaten Riske in all of their prior meetings, including two Hologic WTA Tour singles finals this year, and she improved to 5-0 against the American on Wednesday.
Sabalenka nearly let the opening set slip away from her, as she let four set points slip away at 5-4. Riske dragged Sabalenka into a deciding first-set tiebreak, where Sabalenka finally converted her sixth set point when Riske misfired on a long volley.
After the 64-minute opener, Sabalenka had things well in control in the second set up to 5-2. Sabalenka, however, failed to close off the match in that game, and Riske won 5-4.
Riske had four break points in that game to tie the set, but Sabalenka utilized her power game to its full potential when it mattered most, swatting away those opportunities and gritting out the win.
In the Round of 16, Sabalenka will face No.15 seed Amanda Anisimova. Both of their previous meets, which took place at the Australian Open and Roland Garros in 2019, were won by Anisimova.
