Aryna Sabalenka is hoping her seventh trip to the California desert is the charm.
The two-time finalist advanced her bid for a first title in Tennis Paradise on Sunday, opening play on Stadium 1 with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian to set a fourth-round battle with 2018 champion Naomi Osaka.
“She’s such an incredible player, such a fighter, and I knew that she’s not gonna give up easily, and that I would have to work really hard, and I think that’s why I was super focused, especially on my serve,” Sabalenka, who saved five of six break points on the day, said on court.
Sabalenka had her difficulties against the 27-year-old Bucharest native, who was backed by an enthusiastic cluster of Romanian fans inside Stadium 1 on a sunny Sunday in Tennis Paradise.
World No. 35 Cristian made a play for the opening set when she notched her only break of the day in the ninth game to get back on serve, but four-time major champion Sabalenka redoubled her efforts and broke in the tenth game, taking the set 6-4 as Cristian poured in an ill-timed double fault.
Both players saved break points in their first service game of the second set, and it would soon be Sabalenka who moved ahead for 3-1 with her third break of the afternoon.
It was one-way traffic the rest of the way for the 27-year-old. Sabalenka improves to 13-1 on the season, and 17-6 lifetime at Indian Wells.
