MINSK, Belarus (AP) — Kiki Bertens saved a match point on Saturday before beating Aryna Sabalenka to level the Netherlands' Fed Cup match against Belarus at 1-1.
Aliaksandra Sasnovich gave Belarus the lead with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over Michaella Krajicek in the opening rubber of the day, before 24th-ranked Bertens took on Aryna Sabalenka, who is 118 places lower.
Sabalenka started brightly to take the first set and had match point in the second-set tiebreaker at 6-5. Bertens took the next three points and went on to win 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-4 in the World Group 1st-round match.
Bertens plays Sasnovich in Sunday's reverse singles, before Sabalenka faces Krajicek and the Belarus' doubles duo of Olga Govortsova and Vera Lapko takes on Cindy Burger and Arantxa Rus.