Drop shots, bad back and match points saved! Aryna Sabalenka survives Elina Svitolina in Rome 

Is Aryna Sabalenka the new queen of the drop shot?

It certainly looked like it in her fourth-round match at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia with Elina Svitolina.

Despite an erratic start, a mid-match lower back problem and facing three match points, Sabalenka battled through it all for a 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7) victory that finished Tuesday around 12:45 a.m. local time in Rome. The two were squaring off for the first time since Sabalenka came through last year's Roland Garros quarterfinal clash.

Sabalenka felt pressure from the beginning, needing to erase three break points in an eight-minute opening game. Svitolina would break the next time around, and while she would give the advantage away with three consecutive double faults midway through the set, she soon regained it for a 4-3 lead.

Starting from a deep return position, the Ukrainian worked her way forward and eventually clocked an unreturnable forehand up the line for 15-40. After just missing just wide with the same shot on the follow point, the two-time champion broke when Sabalenka misfired with her third unforced error of the game.

A perfectly constructed drop shot-forehand pass combination produced a pair of set points. Moments later, Svitolina's forehand slice approach shot drew a mistimed backhand from her opponent. Sabalenka contributed 22 unforced errors going into the second set.

Holding from 15-30, the two-time Australian Open champion made the most of a clean slate. Svitolina’s service woes returned with a long double fault to drop serve and Sabalenka ran with the gift in claiming four straight games. In a quality set from her end of the court, Sabalenka’s raw power was complemented by her smart deployment of the drop shot when pinning Svitolina behind the baseline.

Before leveling, Sabalenka’s back flared up. Decelerating on her serve, she requested for chair umpire Jenny Zhang to call the physio. Svitolina, couldn’t advantage, missing three break points.

A three-minute medical timeout followed, with Svitolina serving to open the third set. Down 15-30, the world No. 19 targeted Sabalenka’s backhand after seeing her resort to using more slices. Employing consecutive returns down the middle, Svitolina broke by handcuffing Sabalenka’s backhand.

The drop shot once again proved fruitful for Sabalenka. A beautiful change of pace on the backhand side produced 30-40 and a forehand junk ball died upon landing to deny Svitolina the consolidation she was looking for. At times the delicate shot was used out of desperation, but nevertheless was a key factor to the No. 2 seed’s success on the night.

Urged on by the crowd, Sabalenka pulled away by bringing back her traditional brand of power tennis. The dropper made another appearance in moving her ahead 4-2.

Keeping the deficit to a single break, Svitolina broke at love when Sabalenka served for the contest. At 5-5, 30-40, Svitolina saved a break point for the first time after seeing her opponent capitalize on the first six against her serve.

Sabalenka opted for the drop shot to open the 12th game, but this time, Svitolina showed off her wheels to one up her opponent. Arriving at two match points, Svitolina seemingly had the match won—only to completely undercut her backhand into the open court as she slid up to Sabalenka’s short defensive reply.

In the tie-break, Sabalenka couldn’t back up her first three mini-breaks. Down match point after the Belarusian’s backhand crosscourt winner, Svitolina held firm in a lengthy rally to wipe it away with a forehand finish. Sabalenka then staved off her third match point by getting enough weight behind her first serve —and crossed the finish line when her imposing forehand return caused Svitolina to net her final backhand.

Sabalenka is through to the last eight at the Foro Italico for the second time, having advanced to the semifinals in 2022. Ninth seed Jelena Ostapenko awaits.