Aryna Sabalenka has perfect reaction to ridiculous shot versus Karolina Muchova

Aryna Sabalenka was rolling. She had won 15 straight matches dating back to the quarterfinals at the National Bank Open in early August. She had reached the quarterfinals of the China Open, where she would play Karolina Muchova. Muchova has been playing well lately, too.

Both players played exceedingly well, especially defensively. This was true even though both players hit the ball bombastically and with heavy pace, making even a simple return much more difficult. The winner of the match could very easily move on to win the entire tournament.

That winner turned out to be Muchova in three sets 7-6(5) 2-6 6-4. The US Open semifinalist was able to defeat Sabalenka at her own game by pounding the ball deep near the baseline and keeping the Belarusian moving. Both players might have beaten almost any other player on the tour, though, at the level each was playing.

Aryna Sabalenka can only giggle after ridiculous shot lands in against Karolina Muchova

One point was the highlight of the match, however, and that went to Sabalenka. At 2-all in the third set and with Muchova serving, the players went on a 12-shot rally, with each making shots the other could hardly return. Muchova hit one down the line to Sabalenka's right at one point, but the Belarusian was somehow able to get a racket on the ball and flip it back.

Muchova hit the return cross-court, but Sabalenka was able to get across the court and hit her own forehand cross-court, which barely made it over the net and hit the line. Muchova was incapable of moving and stood and watched as the ball landed in. She lost a point that she most definitely would have won 99 percent of the time.

Sabalenka's reaction was what made the moment great. Even she was in disbelief. She began to walk back to the middle of the court with a wide smile on her face and giggling so much her shoulders were shaking. It was the kind of moment that tennis fans have gotten used to with Sabalenka and turns the great player back into a normal human being.

No one thought the ball would land in, even Sabalenka. At that moment, she was one of us. It was perfect.

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