Shaky Sabalenka overcomes serve struggles to stay alive in Melbourne / Photo: WILLIAM WEST - AFP
-
Coach Mignoni returns but Toulon crash to Stade Francais
-
Robert Mueller, ex-FBI chief who led Trump-Russia inquiry, dead at 81
-
Sinner and Pegula advance to third round at Miami Open
-
Britain's Kerr outsprints Hocker for world indoor 3,000m gold
-
Kane backs Tuchel's call to rest him from England friendly
-
NBA fines 76ers' Drummond, Magic's Suggs $25,000 each
-
Switzerland's Ehammer sets indoor heptathlon world record
-
Pogacar 'relieved' by Milan-San Remo triumph, gunning to complete Monument set
-
World Athletics decision to hand Asia two world indoors 'strategic' - Coe
-
Trump threatens to use ICE agents for airport security control
-
Kane moves closer to goals record as Bayern sink Union
-
Pogacar ends long wait for Milan-San Remo glory after edging epic
-
US says 'took out' Iran base threatening blocked Hormuz oil route
-
Di Giannantonio takes Brazil MotoGP pole ahead of Bezzecchi, Marquez
-
Welbeck scores twice to dent Liverpool's top-five hopes
-
US strikes Iran bases threatening blocked Hormuz oil route
-
Pirovano wins World Cup downhill title, Aicher puts pressure on Shiffrin
-
Doroshchuk wins Ukraine's second world indoor gold, Hodgkinson and Alfred coast
-
K-pop kings BTS stun Seoul in '2.0' comeback concert
-
French prosecutors suspect Musk encouraged deepfakes row to inflate X value
-
Mbappe 100 percent, Bellingham fit, says Real Madrid's Arbeloa
-
Iranians mark Eid as Tehran reports strike on nuclear plant
-
Kenya, Uganda open rail extension burdened by Chinese debt
-
K-pop kings BTS rock Seoul in comeback concert
-
Invincible Japan edge Australia to win Women's Asian Cup
-
Italy's Paris claims first win of season in World Cup downhill finale
-
In Finland, divers learn to explore icy polar waters
-
Dortmund extend injured captain Can's contract
-
Iranians mark Eid as Trump mulls winding down war
-
Matisse's last years cut out -- but not pasted -- at Paris expo
-
BTS fans take over central Seoul for K-pop kings' comeback
-
Star jockey McDonald becomes horse racing's most prolific Group 1 winner
-
Israel strikes Tehran, Beirut as Trump mulls 'winding down' war
-
Pistons top Warriors to clinch NBA playoff berth
-
Tickets to toothbrushes: BTS's money-making machine
-
Top-ranked Alcaraz, Sabalenka win Miami openers
-
After Cuba beckons, Miami entrepreneurs are mostly reluctant to invest in the island
-
Peru's crowded presidential race zeroes in on organized crime
-
Taiwan's Lin to compete in first international event since Paris gender row
-
BTS takes over central Seoul for comeback concert
-
Jury signals tech titans on hook for social media addiction
-
Brumbies mark Slipper record in thriller against Chiefs
-
US jury finds Elon Musk misled Twitter shareholders
-
New to The Street Announces Broadcast of Show #739 on Bloomberg Television Across the U.S. at 6:30 PM EST
-
SMX Reinforces Trust, Traceability, and Market Value Across Rare Earths and Precious Metals
-
SMX Redefines Trust, Provenance, and Transparency in the Global Luxury Market
-
SMX Establishes a New Framework for Verification and Visibility Across Global Energy Supply Chains
-
Gauff rallies to avance at Miami Open
-
WNBA, players union confirm agreement on 'groundbreaking' labor deal
-
Carrick 'baffled' by inconsistent penalty calls as Man Utd held
Shaky Sabalenka overcomes serve struggles to stay alive in Melbourne
Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka battled through serving woes Wednesday to make the Australian Open third round, but it was a less-than-convincing display by the world number one.
The Belarusian dropped serve three times and faced 11 break points before overcoming Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro on Rod Laver Arena 6-3, 7-5, rattling off the last five games in a row.
It was her 16th consecutive victory on Melbourne's centre court after back-to-back titles and a first round win over 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens.
Next up is Denmark's 42nd-ranked Clara Tauson, who faces a daunting task given the 26-year-old's record on the blue hardcourts.
Overall, Sabalenka is 16-2 on Rod Laver Arena with her only losses against Serena Williams in 2021 and Ashleigh Barty in 2018.
"She played incredible tennis today and it was really tough one. I expected this tennis from her, I'm really glad I was able to win this match," she said.
"In the second set, honestly, I wasn't rushing too much. After 5-2 I thought, 'okay whatever, we'll leave this set and move on'.
"But I was able to turn it around and super happy to win in straight sets against someone like her who really makes you work for every point."
Bouzas had some pedigree, beating then reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova at the All England Club last year, while steadily climbing the rankings to her current 54.
Both players' radars were off in a seesawing opening set, with five service breaks, two against the top seed.
Sabalenka eventually reduced the error count to hold for 5-2 then again to take the set in a shaky 44 minutes.
The service wobbles returned in the second set and a wayward forehand gave Bouzas a break to move 3-1 ahead, then she held with an ace to turn the tables.
The Spaniard served for the set at 5-3, but Sabalenka dug herself out of a hole to break back when the 22-year-old netted a backhand.
Bouzas Maneiro had run out of gas, broken again before the Belarusian served out for the match.
Sabalenka is hunting down a rare hat-trick of consecutive Australian Open wins, a feat last achieved 26 years ago by Martina Hingis and only matched by four other women in history.
O.M.Souza--AMWN
