DEN BOSCH, Netherlands – Ole Miss women’s tennis alum Arianne Hartono secured a three-set win over Taylah Preston to advance to the Round of 16 at the Libéma Open Tuesday.
The 2018 NCAA Individual Champion topped her 16-year-old Australian opponent 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 at Autotron Rosmalen to secure a date with the tournament’s top seed and world No. 6 Aryna Sabalenka on Wednesday.
The Meppel, Netherlands, native fell behind 0-2 in the first set but stormed back to take command of the match early. The script flipped in the second set, as Hortono held the early 2-1 advantage, only to see the Aussie upstart come from behind to even the match.
In the third set, the Rebel alum claimed a 5-2 lead but had to hold off a late charge from the Aussie, ultimately clinching the match with Preston holding serve.
With the win on her home soil, Hartono improved to No. 172 in the WTA Rankings.
Hortono will now face one of the world’s best in Sabalenka. The two will meet in a Round of 16 match Wednesday at 4 a.m. CT on the grass at Autotron Rosmalen.
For more information on Ole Miss Women’s Tennis, follow the Rebels on Twitter @OleMissWTennis, on Facebook at OleMissWTennis and on Instagram at OleMissWTennis. Also follow Coach Beyers on Twitter, @MarkBeyers.
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