In the latest-starting match in U.S. Open history, Aryna Sabalenka overcame a slow start to defeat Ekaterina Alexandrova 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 in the early hours of Saturday morning. The No. 2 seed didn't begin her match until 12:07 a.m. and found herself trailing after dropping the first set in just over half an hour. However, Sabalenka quickly turned the tide by winning 10 consecutive games early in the second set, establishing a commanding 5-0 lead in the third set.
The match concluded at 1:48 a.m., marking one of the latest endings to a women's match at the U.S. Open. Sabalenka's victory sets up a fourth-round clash with No. 33 seed Elise Mertens scheduled for Sunday.
The late-night session at Arthur Ashe Stadium was delayed by over an hour due to Frances Tiafoe's lengthy victory earlier in the day. Under a new late-night match policy introduced this year, the tournament referee has the authority to reschedule any match that has not commenced by 11:15 p.m. Despite the delay, Sabalenka and Alexandrova were kept on Ashe, taking the court after Novak Djokovic's surprising defeat to Alexei Popyrin.
Sabalenka expressed her satisfaction with her ability to maintain focus and turn the match around despite the challenging circumstances. She acknowledged Alexandrova's strong start, crediting her opponent's performance in the initial set.
Following her win, Sabalenka humorously remarked about her late-night victory, joking about counting it as practice for the following day. The match concluded before the latest end to a women's match at the U.S. Open, with Sabalenka aiming to get some rest before her next match.
Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev outlasted Tomas Martin Etcheverry in a match that concluded at 2:35 a.m., further extending the late-night action at the tournament.
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