World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka powered her way into the quarterfinals of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Sunday, defeating 17th seed Victoria Mboko of Canada 6-1, 7-6 (1) to stay on course for a third title in four years.
The Belarusian dominated the opening set, using a powerful serve and aggressive baseline play to overwhelm the 19-year-old Mboko in just 31 minutes. Sabalenka fired three aces in the first set and conceded little room for the Canadian to settle into the contest.
The second set proved more competitive as Sabalenka’s level dipped slightly, with a rise in unforced errors allowing Mboko to stay in contention. Sabalenka surged ahead 4-1 and later held three match points while serving at 5-4 but was unable to close out the match at that stage.
Mboko recovered to force a tie-break, showing composure and resilience beyond her years. However, Sabalenka reasserted control in the breaker, winning it decisively to seal the match. The tie-break marked Sabalenka’s 20th consecutive victory in that format.
Also read: Alcaraz, Sabalenka reach Australian Open Round 4
“What an incredible player for such a young age,” Sabalenka said of her opponent during her on-court interview. “It's incredible to see these kids coming up on Tour. I can't believe I say that. I feel like I'm a kid.”
“She pushed me so much, and I'm happy to be through,” she added.
Explaining her success in tie-breaks, Sabalenka said, “I try to, not to think this is a tiebreak and play point by point, and I guess that's the key to consistency.”
Sabalenka won the Australian Open titles in 2023 and 2024 and finished runner-up last year to Madison Keys. She is also a two-time US Open champion.
Later on Sunday, top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz faced Tommy Paul in the men’s draw, while third seeds Alexander Zverev and Coco Gauff also played for quarterfinal spots.
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