Without a single double fault, Aryna Sabalenka issued her biggest warning yet to her Australian Open rivals. The world No 5 continued her flawless start to the summer to explode into the third round at Melbourne Park with a 6-1, 6-3 thrashing of dangerous American Shelby Rogers on Thursday.
Big Rogers, a former Ash Barty Grand Slam winner, threatened an early upset as he raced into a 3-1 lead at Rod Laver Arena. But Sabalenka reeled off five straight games to take the second set before running away with the match in one hour and 27 minutes.
Tellingly, apart from displaying the firepower that helped the Belarusian reach last year’s season finale in Texas and the international title in Adelaide this month, there was no sign of the serve undermining Sabalenka’s progress on the big stages.
Far more telling than the three aces Sabalenka fired and the loss of just one service game was the 25-year-old’s effort not to commit a single double fault.
The self-confessed “queen of double faults” racked up some 428 last year alone, arguably the most on the WTA Tour, including 19 in her corresponding second-round win in Melbourne 12 months ago.
So to say the heel setter was over the moon with the improvement in what was arguably women’s tennis’ biggest Achilles heel would be an understatement.
“Oh my God, I’ve done almost everything to try to fix my submission. Like, all year we’ve been trying different things mentally, mental things, technique, technique, trying to breathe differently,” Sabalenka said.
“I mean, I tried a lot. I watched a lot of videos on my service. You can’t even imagine how much I worked. I’m just super happy right now that everything is working out.”
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However, to lose a set in six games in 2023, the Open chaser will play Belgium’s Elise Mertens next Saturday for a place in the last 16 after the 26th seed saw off Hobart International winner Lauren Davies 6-4 , 6-3.
Russian 19th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova also advanced with a 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 win over American wildcard Taylor Townsend. But Aleksandrova’s ninth-seeded compatriot Veronika Kudermetova crashed out, falling to American qualifier Katie Volinec 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.
World No. 4 Caroline Garcia and No. 12 Belinda Bencic are among the other big names in action on day four. Second seed Ons Jabert plays against Marketa Vondrousova on Thursday night.
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