Sara’s first match in Istanbul was a close match, but unfortunately she lost 6-7, 2-6 to Victoria Azarenka. In the first set it was very close. Sara took a lead but with her great return-game Azarenka came back in the set and won it in a tie-break. In the tiebreak of the first set, Sara felt a pain in her calf, which continued to give her problems in the second set. Even though she kept fighting, this meant that the second set wasn’t as close as the first.

“Sara played a great match,” said her brother Davide after the match, “not only in the first set. Towards the end of the tie-break she got cramps. She continued to play but obviously it did not get better and at some points in the second set she had difficulties playing. We hope it’s nothing serious and she can play tomorrow.”

In the photogallery you can find pictures from the match today.