Dubai: Barbora Krejcikova snaps Aryna Sabalenka’s winning streak to enter semis

World No.30 Barbora Krejcikova produced a stunning comeback to deliver Aryna Sabalenka her first defeat of 2023 and send last month’s Australian Open champion crashing out of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Thursday (February 23). The Czech’s reward? A semi-final clash against American Jessica Pegula, who received a walkover when her opponent Karolina Muchova withdrew with an abdominal injury. Krejcikova, a 2021 French Open Singles winner and 10-time Grand Slam Doubles winner, reached the Singles final at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium in 2021. Yet she looked destined for defeat on Thursday when Sabalenka picked up where she left off in a from-behind victory over reigning champion Jelena Ostapenko the previous night. On that occasion, after losing the first set, Sabalenka had dropped just two games to close out the win and that high level of play continued against Krejcikova, delivering a bagel to claim the first set 6-0. It took Krejcikova 44 minutes just to get on the board with an imperious Sabalenka, ranked No.2 in the world and having broken to take a 3-1 lead in the second set, looking all but confirmed to book her place in the final four.
 
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“I came with a strategy,” she said, “I mean, at the beginning it wasn't really working, but I just felt like ‘keep going and ‘just try to do your best’. I expected it was going to be really difficult, but then also, on the other hand, I felt like I have a belief that I can play with these girls. Even with the best ones, I believe I can beat them.” Turning devastation to elation, the 2021 Dubai finalist fought back to win 11 of the final 15 games and end Sabalenka's 13-match unbeaten streak 0-6, 7-6(2), 6-1. “In the middle of the second set, I don't know exactly how it was, but I broke her at some point and from there I just loosened up a little bit more,” she added, “I started to feel my shots a little bit better and felt that I was getting in control.” Friday’s semi-final with World No.3 Pegula provides Krejcikova an early chance to make up for her defeat to the American in the quarterfinals at last month’s Australian Open. It’s not a chance she intends to let slip by. “I'm looking forward for the revenge because in Australia I lost to her,” she said, “I definitely want to go there again and enjoy the match, fight for every single ball. If I'm able to do that, I definitely have a chance.” ICA/Expat Media
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