Aryna Sabalenka, world No.2 and holder of the trophy, once again had to work hard to qualify for the round of 16 of the WTA 1000 tournament in Madrid on Sunday, against the young American Robin Montgomery, ranked above 150th. world place.
Sabalenka ended up winning 6-1, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4 after almost two and a half hours of match against Montgomery, 19-year-old left-handed, 183rd in the world and invited by the organizers.
Already for her entry into the running, the Belarusian, double winner of the Australian Open, had already had to battle for more than two hours to defeat the Polish Magda Linette (48th) 6-4, 3-6, 6- 3.
In the round of 16, Sabalenka will face the American Danielle Collins, who has climbed to 15th in the world, her best ranking, who remains on a series of fifteen consecutive victories straddling the tournaments in Miami, Charleston and Madrid.