SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER!
 
 
Facebook Social Button Twitter Social Button Follow Us on InstagramYouTube Social Button
front
NewsScoresRankingsLucky Letcord PodcastShopPro GearPickleballGear Sale


By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Tuesday, January 14, 2025

 
INSERT IMAGE ALT TAGS HERE

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka reeled off five games in a row stopping Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-3, 7-5 to reach the third round for the sixth time in eight AO appearances.

Photo credit: Graham Denholm/Getty

Crunch time at Melbourne Park is Aryna Sabalenka’s home stretch.

Two-time Australian Open champion Sabalenka regards the AO as her home away from home—and she continues to exert control over the environment.

More: Siegemund Shocks Gold-Medal Champion Zheng

Staring down a 2-5 second-set deficit, Sabalenka sharpened her shots and reeled off five games in a row showing Jessica Bouzas Maneiro the door 6-3, 7-5 to reach the third round for the sixth time in eight AO appearances.

"I'm super happy to have finished this match in straight sets," Sabalenka told the media in Melbourne. "She played incredible tennis, especially in the second set. I'm really happy I was able to turn around that set."

Tennis Express

World No. 1 Sabalenka scored her 16th straight Australian Open win and raised her 2025 record to 7-0.

It wasn’t easy—Sabalenka saved 8 of 11 break points—but the Belarusian went back to crosscourt basics and overpowered the talented Bouzas Maneiro down the stretch.

Continuing her quest to become the first woman to three-peat at the AO since Hall of Famer Martina Hingis won three in a row from 1997-99, Sabalenka will face Clara Tauson for a spot in the round of 16.

Tauson swept 37-year-old Tatjana Maria 6-2, 6-2. The 22-year-old Tauson won 24 of 28 first-serve points in a 68-minute win to advance to her second AO third round in three appearances.

Sabalenka started strong today, faltered with some sloppy errors in the second set but turned it up considerably to avoid going three sets.

In her Wimbledon main-draw debut last July, Bouzas Maneiro dethroned defending-champion Vondrousova 6-4, 6-2 in a shocking and historic Wimbledon opening-round upset. Bouzas Maneiro took her share of aggressive shots today.

A flurry of wonderful strikes down the line, including a bold backhand returned winner down the line, helped Bouzas Maneiro convert her fourth break point to get back on serve at 1-2.

Belting a barrage of deep drives down the middle, Sabalenka rattled out errors breaking back for 3-1.

The depth of the Spaniard’s returns sometimes forced Sabalenka to dig drives off her shoelaces. Bouzas Maneiro showed her skills with a superb running forehand strike down the line scoring her second straight break.

The second serve is the most fragile stroke in the Spaniard’s game and Sabalenka shattered it breaking again for 4-2.



It wasn’t all power play. Sabalenka pulled the string on a slick backhand dropper holding for 5-2.

The top seed served out the 44-minute opening set with confidence.

Credit Bouzas Maneiro for sustaining her intensity and continuing to take her cracks down the line. The Spaniard drew an error breaking for a 3-1 second-set lead.

A fan yelled out “Vamos Jessica!” and Bouzas Maneiro answered the call sliding an ace out wide to hold for a 4-1 second-set lead.



Serving for the set at 5-3, Bouzas Maneiro saw Sabalenka lift her level and couldn’t stay in step. Sabalenka amped up the pace of her strokes and volume of her grunt breaking back for 4-5.

Sabalenka broke for 6-5 and converted her third match point to wrap a 94-minute victory.

The top seed soothed the Spanish scare on a day in which 2024 AO finalist Zheng Qinwen as upset by 36-year-old German Laura Siegemund.

"I saw she lost. Very sad to see," Sabalenka said of Zheng. "Listen, it's a slam, you know? Not everyone can handle these emotions. Once again, as you see, there is so many players who is playing really well in these conditions.

"It's not like if they gone, it's easy for me. No,it's not. I have to go there, I have to compete, I have to fight.

"Today's match proved that. Girls can go there and just play without any fear, without anything to lose. They can put you in really uncomfortable position. You have to go out there and fight and compete and show your best. As you said, yeah, I prefer to focus day by day, step by step. I really enjoy being out there and compete. This is something I'm focusing on."

The reigning US Open champion has reached the quarterfinals or better in her last eight straight major appearances and will try to keep that record rolling in her home away from home.

 

Latest News