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Australian Open 2022: Storm Sanders falls short against world No.2 Aryna Sabalenka

Headshot of Mitchell Woodcock
Mitchell WoodcockThe West Australian
Storm Sanders could not beat world no.2 Aryna Sabalenka.
Camera IconStorm Sanders could not beat world no.2 Aryna Sabalenka. Credit: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

West Australian Storm Sanders conceded a one-set lead to fall to world No.2 Aryna Sabalenka in three sets at Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday night.

Sanders won an arm-wrestle of an opening set and was up 3-1 in the second, before losing the next nine games and 11 of the next 13 on her way to a 5-7 6-3 6-2 defeat to the heavily favoured Belarusian.

Sabalenka double faulted in the first game, giving the world No.135 the opportunity to get the break and a big confidence boost.

The world’s second best player broke back immediately, but still could not get her serve on track, double faulting three times in the next game to once again find herself behind.

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Soon Sanders was all over the favoured Sabalenka, with the 27-year-old dominating the back court to go 4-1 up.

Sabalenka rose to the occasion though, forcing Sanders to doubt her own serve and all of a sudden had the game back on level pegging.

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Sanders was not overawed by the challenge and eventually won an arm-wrestle of the first set in 47 minutes.

Sabalenka quickly found there was nowhere to hide on the feature court, as Sanders broke early in the second set to increase the pressure a 3-1.

The Australian could not take advantage of a number of break opportunities before a double fault in the eighth game opened the door for Sabalenka, who won five consecutive to take the second set in convincing fashion.

From here it was one-way traffic for Sabalenka, who dominated the game to close out the third set in just 32 minutes to book her place in the second round.

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