With the stakes high at the WTA Finals, players are feeling the pressure. World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka has her eye on her first title here after seven attempts at the tournament. In her second group-stage match against Jessica Pegula, the top seed turned her stress into fuel. Even her coach looked caught off guard in the box.

While the Belarusian won the match after dropping the second set. In the end, she held her nerve, outlasting Pegula 6-4, 2-6, 6-3.  But it wasn’t without drama. Sabalenka’s coach, Anton Dubrov, left during the deciding set after being on the receiving end of her frustration with Pegula’s challenge.  Asked post-match on Sky Sports Tennis what happened with Dubrov, she said, “I think I went a little too much on Anton. We’re gonna… probably still talk if he’s still here, but I don’t know where he is. But yeah, I went a bit too far. I was so frustrated inside of me, and I was just trying to let it go and probably went too far.”

And true to her word, the match was just that exhilarating for both players. It started strong for Sabalenka, who grabbed the first set 6-4. Pegula bounced back quickly and dominated the second 6-2. In the third, Sabalenka fell behind a break early as Pegula led 2-1. The Belarusian plays with raw emotion, and her coach saw that up close in Riyadh. Frustrated by her own errors, Sabalenka let her emotions out, directing them toward her team.

This is a developing story….