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Defending champion Coco Gauff will face fellow American Jessica Pegula in the second match in Stephanie Graf’s group on Sunday, after Elena Rybakina and Iga Swiatek won on the opening day.
Sabalenka has qualified for the year-end finals in the past five years but has never won the title. She was runner-up to Carolyn Garcia in 2022.
The 29-year-old was strong against Paolini, who is the only player competing in both the singles and doubles tournaments.
Sabalenka hit 11 aces, won 66 percent of her first serve points, and hit 24 winners to outpace the agile Paulini.
The two players exchanged breaks in the first set before Sabalenka won six consecutive games to win the first set and lead 4-0 in the second set.
Paolini got on the board and pinned Sabalenka for level in the next game, but a big first serve helped Sabalenka hold on, and he has barely threatened Paolini since.
Earlier, New Zealander Erin Rotliff and Canadian Gabriella Dabrowski, seeded third, began their doubles campaign with a 6-3, 7-6 (7-2) victory over Russians Mira Andreeva and Diana Schneider.
Elsewhere, 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mpoko continued her outstanding year with a 7-5, 6-7 (9-11), 6-2 victory over Spain’s Cristina Buxa to win the Hong Kong Open.
This is the second title of the season for Pokou after their stunning win in Montreal in August.
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