Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus has kicked off her ambitious bid for a third consecutive Australian Open title with a commanding 6-3, 6-2 victory over former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens on Sunday.
Despite facing challenges in the first set at Rod Laver Arena, where Stephens briefly disrupted Sabalenka's momentum, the world number one showcased her formidable power and resilience to secure the win.
Sabalenka, who has previously claimed the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup twice in two years, extended her impressive streak with a 15th consecutive hardcourt Grand Slam victory. \"I think I just love the people, love the crowd. I love all the support I feel during basically every match I played there,\" Sabalenka expressed. \"It's just an incredible feeling. I just want to keep winning as long as I can just to feel the atmosphere.\"
From the outset, Sabalenka demonstrated her prowess by building a 4-0 lead over Stephens, utilizing her powerful forehand and aggressive play. Although Stephens managed to break back twice, Sabalenka regrouped and closed the first set with strong net play.
Reflecting on her growth, Sabalenka noted, \"A few years ago, Sabalenka might have lost her head after surrendering a few games but she is now a different player.\" Her improved mental toughness was evident as she executed strategic drop-shots and maintained control throughout the match, ultimately defeating Stephens in just 71 minutes.
Next up, Sabalenka will face Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the third round, aiming to become the first woman since Martina Hingis to achieve an Australian Open threepeat between 1997 and 1999.
On the same day, China's Wang Xinyu was eliminated in the first round by No. 11 seed Paula Badosa of Spain with a score of 6-3, 7-6 (5). Despite leading early in the second set tiebreak, Wang succumbed to unforced errors. \"She's a very aggressive type of player, but actually today I felt more like I was more aggressive,\" Wang commented. \"So I gained some points and then there were some errors, but I feel like this is the tennis I want to play.\"
Reference(s):
Sabalenka starts Australian Open 'threepeat' bid by beating Stephens
cgtn.com
