Sabalenka Advances to Fourth Round at Australian Open as Two-Time Champ

Vegas Tennis Team
4 Min Read

MELBOURNE, Australia — In a display that wasn’t always flawless, two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka showcased her determination on Friday, securing her spot in the fourth round of this year’s prestigious Australian Open.

Facing a formidable Clara Tauson, Sabalenka triumphed with scores of 7-6 (5), 6-4, in what turned out to be a surprisingly challenging match to kick off the sixth day of action on the iconic Rod Laver Arena. This victory marked Sabalenka’s eighth consecutive win of the season, following her success at the Brisbane International just ten days prior, and noted her remarkable 17-match winning streak at Melbourne Park.

Additionally, it has been nearly three years since the top-seeded Sabalenka has failed to reach beyond the third round in any Grand Slam tournament, her last early exit dating back to the 2022 French Open.

Both competitors struggled initially, with each losing their first three service games, resulting in a staggering sequence of seven service breaks. Sabalenka’s fourth service game came to a halt without a point won, prompting a wry smile as Tauson launched an unreturnable backhand to earn a break point.

Finally, Tauson managed to hold her serve to go up 5-3, yet Sabalenka responded by clinching her service game to keep the first set alive. However, in a turn of events, the Danish player faltered while serving for the set, allowing Sabalenka to equalize at 5-5. The set ultimately proceeded to a tiebreaker, where Sabalenka prevailed despite slipping to a 1-4 deficit, closing the opening set in an intense 63 minutes.

“The conditions were quite challenging for serving,” Sabalenka remarked. “It was crucial for me to recover those breaks. The match was definitely a tight contest.”

In the men’s arena, second-seeded Alexander Zverev outmatched Jacob Fearnley with a score of 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, while third seed Carlos Alcaraz overcame Nuno Borges 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-2. Earlier, American Tommy Paul advanced to the fourth round by defeating Roberto Carballes Baena with a scoreline of 7-6 (0), 6-2, 6-0.

Sabalanka managed to break Tauson’s serve early in the second set, which historically sets the stage for her success—88% of the time, she turns early breaks into set victories. Yet, she faced a tough challenge, needing a break after an exhausting series of seven deuces in the ninth game. Ultimately, she clinched the match, saving two break points in the thrilling final game.

“That was an incredible battle; she played phenomenal tennis,” Sabalenka commented. “I’m thrilled to have pushed myself. At times, I just reminded myself, ‘You’re tougher than this.’”

In another early match on Friday, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova breezed past Laura Siegemund with a decisive 6-1, 6-2 victory, securing her own place in the fourth round. Siegemund had previously upset Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen in the second round.

Additional players advancing from Friday’s action included the 11th-seeded Paula Badosa, defeating Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, and 18th-seeded Donna Vekic, who triumphed over 12th-seeded Diana Shnaider 7-6 (4), 6- (3), 7-5. Moreover, the 14th-seeded Mirra Andreeva emerged victorious against Magdalena Frech with scores of 6-2, 1-6, 6-2.

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