Sabalenka battles past serving woes to defeat Bouzas Maneiro and advance at Australian Open
Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, aged 26, navigated through serving difficulties on Wednesday to advance to the third round of the Australian Open, expressing relief at having completed a challenging match in straight sets.
The world number one experienced three service breaks and confronted 11 break points before defeating Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro on Rod Laver Arena with a score of 6-3, 7-5, concluding the match by winning the last five games consecutively.
Bouzas, who has demonstrated her capabilities by defeating the reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova at the All England Club last year, has steadily progressed in the rankings to her current position of 54.
The opening set was marked by inconsistency from both players, resulting in five service breaks, including two against the top seed. Sabalenka ultimately managed to minimize her errors, securing a hold at 5-2 and subsequently taking the set in a somewhat shaky 44 minutes.
However, the service issues resurfaced in the second set, and a misfired forehand allowed Bouzas to break and take a 3-1 lead, which she extended by holding serve with an ace.
Bouzas served for the set at 5-3, but Sabalenka managed to recover, breaking back when the 22-year-old made a backhand error. Bouzas appeared to tire, leading to another break before Sabalenka served out the match.
This victory marked Sabalenka's 16th consecutive win on Melbourne's center court, as she aims to secure the first Grand Slam title of the year for the third consecutive time. Her next opponent will be Denmark's Clara Tauson, currently ranked 42nd, who faces a significant challenge given Sabalenka's impressive record on the blue hardcourts.
"She played incredible tennis today, and it was a really tough match. I anticipated this level of play from her, and I am truly pleased to have won," Sabalenka remarked.
"In the second set, I wasn't overly anxious. After reaching 5-2, I thought, 'Alright, let's move on from this set.' However, I managed to turn things around, and I am very happy to have won in straight sets against someone like her, who makes you work hard for every point."
As the top seed in a Grand Slam for the first time, Sabalenka is aware of the target on her back.
It is essential for me to engage in battle. The match today has demonstrated this clearly. Young women can enter the arena and participate without trepidation, with nothing at stake. They can place you in exceedingly challenging situations, she remarked.
"It is imperative to step onto the court, to contend fiercely, and to showcase your utmost abilities."
Sabalenka is in pursuit of an extraordinary achievement: securing three consecutive victories at the Australian Open, a milestone last accomplished 26 years ago by Martina Hingis and only equaled by four other women throughout history.
SportsLigue