Sabalenka eases past Paolini, Pegula beats error-prone Gauff in WTA Finals

RIYADH :Top seed Aryna Sabalenka kicked off her WTA Finals campaign with a dominant 6-3 6-1 win over Jasmine Paolini, while defending champion Coco Gauff struggled with double faults as Jessica Pegula beat her 6-3 6-7(4) 6-2 in Riyadh on Sunday.

Sabalenka, who won the U.S. Open this year, landed 11 aces and frustrated Paolini with powerful returns near the sidelines, with the Italian growing tired as the match progressed.

World number one Sabalenka has now won 60 matches on the tour this year.

"Doesn't matter the score, I always know I have to stay focused. If you give (Paolini) an opportunity she will take control of the game," Sabalenka said after the 500th match of her career.

"I was focused, I was calm and it feels like everything was in control."

Four-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka got her first break with a backhand across the court to go 2-0 up.

Paolini troubled the world number one with low shots down the middle as Sabalenka's awkward forehand returns hit the net twice, with the Italian getting a crucial break to reduce the Belarusian's lead to 4-3.

But Sabalenka, who was the runner-up in the 2022 edition of the WTA Finals, broke again to go 5-3 up, before landing four aces in the next game to hold her serve and secure the set 6-3.

Sabalenka won the next four games to build up a 4-0 lead in the second set, which proved to be unassailable for two-time Grand Slam finalist Paolini, who suffered a fifth straight loss to the Belarusian.

DOUBLE FAULTS DERAIL GAUFF

Two-time Grand Slam winner Gauff committed 17 double faults and 45 forehand unforced errors as she lost to Pegula in the second game of Group Steffi Graf.

The match began with five straight breaks, until Pegula managed to hold her serve to go 4-2 up. Gauff saved two