Ekaterina Alexandrova ended Aryna Sabalenka’s run at the Canadian Open with a hard fought win in Toronto on Sunday.
The Russian defeated the world number one 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-4 in the fourth round. The match lasted nearly two and a half hours.
Alexandrova, seeded 16th, kept her composure in a close final set to reach the quarterfinals.
For Sabalenka, the defeat came at an important stage of her preparation for the US Open. The Belarusian is the defending champion in New York and has won four Grand Slam titles.
Sabalenka looked sharp early in Toronto. She broke Alexandrova in the opening set and took the early advantage.
But Alexandrova refused to let her pull away.
The Russian fought back to level the set and took it into a tiebreak. She played the better tennis there and won the tiebreak 7-3.
Sabalenka needed a response and found one in the second set.
The top seed increased the pressure on Alexandrova’s serve. She finally got the breakthrough at 3-3 and moved 4-3 ahead.
Sabalenka made the break count. She held her remaining service games and took the second set 6-4 to force a decider.
The final set remained close. Alexandrova continued to attack, while errors began to hurt Sabalenka at important moments.
The Russian eventually put herself within one game of victory at 5-4. Sabalenka then served to keep herself in the tournament.
She survived two match points as Alexandrova searched for the finish. But Sabalenka could not escape for a third time.
A double fault on match point brought the contest to an end and confirmed Alexandrova’s place in the last eight.
“I just tried to play every single point as if it was the last one because with her, you don’t (get) a lot of chances during the match,” Alexandrova said.
“Honestly, I was trying not to think about the score or anything. Just hit the ball, and that’s it.
“I’m super happy that I could win because after the second set, I thought (the chance) was already past me.”
Alexandrova will next meet Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina for a place in the semifinals.
Svitolina had a more comfortable path through the fourth round. She beat American eighth seed Amanda Anisimova 6-2, 6-4 in straight sets.
Alexandrova will now look to continue her Toronto run, while Sabalenka leaves the tournament earlier than she had hoped with the US Open drawing closer.
