MELBOURNE, Australia — Prime seed Aryna Sabalenka defeated tenacious Bai Zhouxuan of China 6-3, 6-1 on Wednesday to advance to the third spherical of the Australian Open.
Sabalenka led 5-0 within the first match however wanted seven set factors to take the set towards the defensive-minded Chinese language participant at Rod Laver Enviornment, however Sabalenka’s deft drop shot helped her keep within the match.
“I used to be pleased to win as a result of it was a troublesome opponent,” Sabalenka stated. “She actually got here into play within the first set.”
Sabalenka took a 4-0 lead within the second set and dominated the smaller Baye. Sabalenka experimented with serving and volleying a bit within the match, attempting to diversify her recreation.
“I noticed some serve and volley at the moment,” Sabalenka stated. “It didn’t actually work out, but it surely labored.”
Sabalenka received the Australian Open in 2023 and 2024, however was runner-up to Madison Keys a yr in the past. Sabalenka has received the US Open twice and is aiming for her fifth Grand Slam singles title.
Bayh was taking part in within the Australian Open for the second time and reached the second spherical for the primary time.
Within the different ladies’s match, twelfth seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine defeated Linda Krymovikova of Poland 7-5, 6-1. Svitolina’s in style 39-year-old Frenchman Gael Monfils bid farewell to his retirement yr at Melbourne Park after shedding within the first spherical on Tuesday to qualifier Dane Sweeney.
In one other ladies’s match, Zeynep Sonmez (Turkey), who was extremely praised for serving to a sick baseball participant in Sunday’s first spherical, defeated Anna Bondar 6-2, 6-4 to advance to the third spherical.
