GUADALAJARA, Mexico, Nov 16, 2021 (BSS/AFP) - Top seed Aryna Sabalenka
crashed out of the WTA Finals in Guadalajara on Monday, losing a gruelling
three-setter against Greek fourth seed Maria Sakkari.

   Sakkari set up a semi-final showdown with Estonia's Anett Kontaveit after
outlasting Sabalenka 7-6 (7/1), 6-7 (6/8), 6-3 in 2hr 47min.

   Sabalenka was left ruing a failure to capitalise on key moments and an
eye-watering 19 double faults that undermined her service game.

   The 23-year-old Belarussian squandered the chance to take the lead in the
first set, allowing Sakkari to recover from 3-5 down to force a tiebreak.

   Sakkari then raced through the tiebreak to win 7/1, leaving Sabalenka
needing to win the next two sets to stay alive in the tournament.

   The top seed managed to dig deep to take the second set on a tie break
after once again letting Sakkari back into the game to come back from 5-3
down to 5-5.

   But a weary Sabalenka wilted in the decisive third set, making 10 double
faults to win less than half of her first-serve points.

   Sakkari, 26, is chasing only her second WTA title after a win at the
Morocco Open in 2019.

   The right-hander is competing at the end-of-season women's championships
in Mexico after a 2021 campaign that included semi-final appearances at the
French Open and US Open.

   The other semi-final will see Spain's Paula Badosa take on compatriot
Garbine Muguruza, also on Tuesday.

   Badosa, who was already assured of a place in the semi-finals, wrapped up
her group stage with a 5-7, 4-6 loss to already-eliminated Iga Swiatek of
Poland.