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Aryna Sabalenka Beats Jasmine Paolini, Closes in on WTA Title

Aryna Sabalenka defeated Jasmine Paolini in straight sets at the WTA Finals.
Pat Benson|
Aryna Sabalenka defeated Jasmine Paolini in the WTA Finals on Monday.
Aryna Sabalenka defeated Jasmine Paolini in the WTA Finals on Monday. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The one-seed Aryna Sabalenka and four-seed Jasmine Paolini entered Monday's Group Stage match at the WTA Finals with one win under their belts and a clear path to the title.

While Sabalenka was seemingly the overwhelming favorite, she had split her four prior matches against Paolini. Despite a fiery comeback in the second set, Sabalenka defeated Paolini in straight sets: 6-3, 7-5.

After the match, Sabalenka was humble and gracious as always. She deflected praise and thanked her team. She also joked with the crowd for cheering on Paolini during her comeback in the second set.

With today's victory, Sabalenka improved to 2-0 in Purple Group Play. Thanks to Qinwen Zheng's win over Elena Rybakina, Sabalenka guarantees herself finishing at the top of the group. That makes her the first player to qualify for the semifinals in Riyadh this year.

Even better for the three-time Grand Slam champion, if she wins one more match this week, or if Iga Swiatek loses a match, then Sabalenka clinches the year-end World No. 1 spot. Swiatek can still clinch the top spot, but she must go undefeated and Sabalenka must lose out.

Swiatek will face Coco Gauff on Wednesday and Sabalenka will face Rybakina on Thursday. Paolini and Zheng will meet on Wednesday to determine second place in the group and the second qualifier.

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers professional tennis for Serve on Sports Illustrated, reporting on ATP and WTA events worldwide. From Challenger tournaments to Grand Slams, he brings readers in-depth coverage, daily recaps, and exclusive interviews with some of the biggest names in the sport. With a decade of experience in sports journalism, Pat is recognized as a trusted voice in tennis media. You can contact him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.

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