Aryna Sabalenka, last year’s US Open runner-up, battled through a shaky start to secure a 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory over 29th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in a late-night third-round match. The contest, which began at 12:08 a.m., followed Alexei Popyrin's upset of Novak Djokovic, making it one of the latest starts in the tournament's history.
Despite a rough opening set filled with unforced errors, the second-seeded Belarusian quickly regrouped, breaking Alexandrova early in the second set to regain control. Sabalenka's powerful play overwhelmed her opponent, allowing her to level the match and eventually dominate the third set. Although she was briefly broken after going up 5-0 in the final set, Sabalenka closed out the match with a decisive backhand winner.
As the match concluded near 2 a.m., Sabalenka expressed gratitude to the dedicated fans who stayed late to support her. Reflecting on the match, she acknowledged the difficulty of turning it around but was pleased with her ability to secure the win.
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