2021 Match Point Saves

Great Escapes 2021: Winning from match point down

During 2021, 58 WTA main draw matches were won from at least one match point down. The joint record was winning from six match points down (Maria Sakkari, Miami; Jil Teichmann, Madrid; Elise Mertens, US Open). Three players won a tournament after facing match point (Naomi Osaka, Australian Open; Ashleigh Barty, Miami; Iga Swiatek, Rome).

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Sofia Kenin was the first player to pull off the feat in 2021, fighting back from match point down at 3-6, 5-6 to outlast Yulia Putintseva 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 in the third round of Abu Dhabi.

Photo by WTA/Jimmie48

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In the very next match on the Abu Dhabi Centre Court, Elina Svitolina saved two match points in the final-set tiebreak to beat Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-2, 6-7(5), 7-6(8) and reach the quarterfinals.

Photo by WTA/Jimmie48

03 /58
Elisabetta Cocciaretto stormed back from a dire first set to beat Zhu Lin in the opening round of the Yarra Valley Classic in Melbourne 0-6, 6-3, 7-5, saving match point in the third set as Zhu served at 5-4.

Photo by Getty Images

04 /58
Another Italian-Chinese battle in Melbourne saw Jasmine Paolini upset Wang Qiang in round two of the Gippsland Trophy in Melbourne 3-6, 7-5, 6-4, saving two match points en route to overturning a 2-5 second-set deficit.

Photo by Getty Images

05 /58
Irina-Camelia Begu claimed a wild Gippsland Trophy third-round victory over Johanna Konta 4-6, 7-6(10), 7-6(4), saving two match points in a second set she won on her eighth set point and closing the win out on her own ninth match point.

Photo by Getty Images

06 /58
Victoria Azarenka saved two match points in a decisive match-tiebreak and beat Yulia Putintseva 6-4, 1-6, [11-9] to reach the Grampians Trophy quarterfinals in Melbourne.

Photo by Getty Images

07 /58
Anett Kontaveit also saved two match points in a match-tiebreak to outlast Maria Sakkari in the Grampians Trophy semifinals 2-6, 6-3, [11-9].

Photo by Getty Images

08 /58
Serving at 4-5 in the second set, Donna Vekic fended off a match point against Kaia Kanepi and went on to take their Australian Open third-round clash 5-7, 7-6(2), 6-4 - a win that meant the Croat has reached the second week of every major.

Photo by Tennis Australia/Mark Peterson

09 /58
The first round of the Phillip Island Trophy in Melbourne saw Anna Blinkova save two match points serving down 4-5 in the second set before posting her first win of 2021 over Andrea Petkovic 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-4.

Photo by Tennis Australia/Jonathan Di Maggio

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Sara Sorribes Tormo overturned a 3-5 final-set deficit in the first round of the Phillip Island Trophy to beat Liudmila Samsonova 6-7(6), 6-1, 7-6(4), staring down two match points serving at 4-5.

Photo by Tennis Australia/Reg Ryan

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Naomi Osaka erased two match points at 5-3 in the final set before rallying to take the final four games in a 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 win over Garbiñe Muguruza in the Australian Open fourth round.

Photo by Getty Images

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Making her WTA debut as a lucky loser in the second round of the Phillip Island Trophy, World No.566 Gabriella Da Silva Fick saved two match points trailing 4-5 in the decider before stunning Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(6).

Photo by Getty Images

13 /58
Marie Bouzkova saved two match points serving at 4-5 in the final set before defeating Bianca Andreescu 6-7(9), 6-2, 7-5 in the Phillip Island Trophy semifinals.

Photo by Tennis Australia/Luke Hemer

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The Adelaide quarterfinals saw Jil Teichmann fail to take five match points against Anastasija Sevastova in the second set, but face down two at 4-5 in the third before winning 6-4, 6-7(8), 7-5.

Photo by Tennis Australia/James Elsby

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A rollercoaster second round in Lyon saw Camila Giorgi eventually overcome Nina Stojanovic 2-6, 6-1, 7-6(5). In the third set Giorgi trailed 0-2, then led 5-3, then saved two match points serving down 5-6.

Photo by Alexandre Hergott/Open 6ème Sens - Métropole de Lyon

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After letting a 5-1 third-set lead and four match points slip away, Coco Gauff had to stave off two match points in a decisive tiebreak before gritting out a 7-6(3), 2-6, 7-6(8) win over Ekaterina Alexandrova in the Dubai first round.

Photo by Getty Images

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Astra Sharma beat Harriet Dart 6-3, 6-2 in the final round of Guadalajara qualifying and, when the Briton made the main draw as a lucky loser, saved one match point at 4-5 in the decider to win their first-round reprise 2-6, 6-2, 7-6(2).

Photo by Imagen Shop/Abierto Zapopan