Aryna Sabalenka advances to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.
MELBOURNE, Australia — Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka, aiming for her third Australian Open title in four years, advanced to the quarterfinals on Sunday after defeating No. 17 Victoria Mboko from Canada with a score of 6-1, 7-6 (1).
Sabalenka showcased a powerful serve that yielded three aces in the opening set, swiftly overcoming the 19-year-old Canadian in just 31 minutes.
In the second set, Sabalenka was not as commanding, committing a few more unforced errors against Mboko, who performed well enough to challenge many competitors but not the two-time Australian Open champion.
“What an amazing player for such a young age,” remarked the 27-year-old Sabalenka about the young Canadian. “It’s remarkable to witness these young talents emerging on Tour. I can’t believe I’m saying that. I feel like I’m still a kid.”
“She challenged me significantly, and I’m pleased to have progressed,” Sabalenka stated during her on-court interview.
Sabalenka held a 4-1 lead in the second set but was unable to convert three match points while ahead 5-4. Mboko gradually regained momentum and pushed the match into a tiebreaker, where Sabalenka ultimately excelled.
This marked Sabalenka’s 20th consecutive tiebreak victory.
“I try to — not to view it as a tiebreak and play point by point, and I believe that’s the key to maintaining consistency,” she explained.
Sabalenka clinched this Grand Slam in 2023 and 2024 and was the runner-up last year against Madison Keys. The Belarusian has also secured two U.S. Open titles.
In a subsequent match on Sunday at Rod Laver Arena, top-seeded male player Carlos Alcaraz from Spain faced American No. 19 Tommy Paul for a chance to reach the quarterfinals.
Alexander Zverev and Coco Gauff, the third seeds in the men’s and women’s draws, also competed later for their places in the quarterfinals.
Source: espn.com
