Aryna Sabalenka has just sealed a spot in the Brisbane International with a straight-set 7-6 (2) 6-4 win but it was all but an easy job for the world No. 1 at the office against Yulia Putintseva.
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Throughout the entire match, it was a tight battle and the match could have easily gone in a completely direction had the world 29th-ranked Kazakh managed to close out the first set when she was two points away from sealing it.
In the end, Sabalenka managed to avoid a shock loss and get the job done in just under two hours of play.
Now, the head-to-head between the two stands at 1-1 as Putintseva won their first clash at the 2019 US Open.
For a place in the Brisbane semifinal, the Belarusian tennis star will play against world No. 44 Marie Bouzkova, who upset her in the Washington semifinal in August.
Sabalenka was inches away from losing the first set but somehow found an escape route
After saving two break points in the fourth game, Putintseva earned the first break of the match in the seventh game and went on to open a 5-3 lead.
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With a chance to serve out for the first set in the 10th game, the Kazakh won the opening two points for a 30/0 lead.
But then, she made some errors and lost the next three points - and while Sabalenka didn't realize her first break point in that game - she still won that tight game after converting her third break point.
Then in the tie-break, Putintseva made a solid start and led 2-1 but then lost the next six points and the first set.
After sealing the opener, the three-time Grand Slam champion also started the second set with a break in the very first game.
Up by a set and a break, Sabalenka then routinely held on to her serve for the rest of the match to complete a two-set win.
