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Sabalenka Beats Krejcikova, Sets New Serve% Record

5/9/2026

23 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Aryna Sabalenka defeated Barbora Krejcikova 6-2, 6-3 in 1 hour 24 minutes to reach the Italian Open third round.
She won 67% of first-serve points and 65% of second-serve points, raising her WTA-1000 record to 151-51 (74.8%) and moving past Ashleigh Barty for the fourth-best percentage since 2009.
She will play world No. 27 Sorana Cirstea in the round of 32 while urging young girls to stay persistent, disciplined and confident.

History

Historical Context

In 2009 Serena Williams secured a record seventh Miami Open title, highlighting the power-driven dominance that reshaped women’s tennis that decade. The WTA’s renewed focus on nurturing future Grand Slam contenders reflects the sport’s shift toward a new generation of power players. It follows a decade where Williams and peers such as Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova set new standards for serve speed and baseline aggression.

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Story summary

Aryna Sabalenka defeated Barbora Krejcikova 6-2, 6-3 in 1 hour 24 minutes to reach the Italian Open third round.
She won 67% of first-serve points and 65% of second-serve points, raising her WTA-1000 record to 151-51 (74.8%) and moving past Ashleigh Barty for the fourth-best percentage since 2009.
She will play world No. 27 Sorana Cirstea in the round of 32 while urging young girls to stay persistent, disciplined and confident.

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