Aryna Sabalenka Advances Amid Controversy at Berlin Open

BERLIN, Germany — World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka started her grass court season at the Berlin Open on Thursday by advancing to the quarter-finals after a match against Switzerland’s Rebeka Masarova.

The match was suspended the previous day due to slippery conditions at the venue. Sabalenka had a strong start, winning the first set 6-2 before organizers paused play. She led the match without being troubled, swiftly breaking Masarova’s serve twice.

However, after the suspension, Sabalenka questioned tournament officials about stopping the match, showing her frustration. When play resumed, she managed to secure a 6-2, 7-6(6) victory, showcasing her skill by saving six break points throughout the match.

Meanwhile, defending champion Jessica Pegula had a disappointing outcome. The American star wasted two match points before losing to Liudmila Samsonova in a marathon match that lasted over three hours. The final score was 6-7(8), 7-5, 7-6(5). Samsonova’s powerful serves proved to be significant, as she delivered 18 aces to Pegula’s two.

On a positive note, Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur secured a spot in the quarter-finals with a dominating 6-1, 6-3 win over world No. 5 Jasmine Paolini, marking her first top-five victory in nearly two years.

In other matches, eighth seed Paula Badosa also advanced, defeating Emma Navarro 7-6(2), 6-3. Wang Xinyu caused an upset by overcoming Coco Gauff, the French Open champion, in straight sets.

As the tournament progresses, Sabalenka will face the challenge of competing against either Elena Rybakina or Katerina Siniakova in the next round.