2021 Wimbledon: Aryna Sabalenka beats Serrano, advances to fourth round
Second seed Aryna Sabalenka has beaten Colombia's Maria Camila Osorio Serrano to proceed to the fourth round of 2021 Wimbledon. She claimed a straight-set victory, winning 6-0, 6-3. This is only the fourth career win for Sabalenka at Wimbledon, and her first against Serrano. The Belarusian had earlier defeated Katie Boulter, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, in her second-round clash. Here are further details.
Sabalenka was all over Serrano in the first set. She gave her absolutely nothing, having claimed the set point after mere 30 minutes. The former had the upper hand in the second set as well. Although Serrano tried to fight back by winning the first game, Sabalenka continued her dominant display. The latter easily won the second set, thereby proceeding to the next round.
Sabalenka plundered a total of 67 points and struck five aces. She won 60 percent of the receiving points (32/53) and 22 winners. On the other hand, Serrano won five out of seven net points. She also recorded less unforced errors (17) than Sabalenka (31)
This is currently the best run for Sabalenka at Wimbledon. Before the ongoing edition, she had won just one match, back in 2017. Sabalenka was knocked out in the first round in the next two Wimbledon championships. Before the ongoing tournament, she had reached the quarter-finals in Eastbourne (grass-court). At the Roland Garros, Sabalenka was handed a third-round defeat by Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Osorio Serrano started the year ranked 186. She then reached the semi-finals in Belgrade and Charleston before winning her first WTA title in Bogota. Serrano's second-round victory over world number 36, Ekaterina Alexandrova, turned out to be her best (by ranking). This made her the first Colombian woman to reach the third round at Wimbledon in 48 years.
