ALEXANDRA EALA VS. CLARA TAUSON | HIGHLIGHTS | US OPEN 2025

 

"I'M GETTING OLDER" - ARYNA SABALENKA GETS REAL ABOUT PLAYING IN TOUGH CONDITIONS AFTER REACHING AUSTRALIAN OPEN QF

Aryna Sabalenka shared her honest feelings on playing in the Melbourne heat amid her 2025 Australian Open run (Source: Getty)

Aryna Sabalenka gave her thoughts on playing in Melbourne's tough conditions following her fourth-round win at the ongoing 2025 Australian Open. Sabalenka comfortably dispatched youngster Mirra Andreeva to reach the quarterfinals of the prestigious hardcourt Major, where she is the two-time defending champion.

Daytime conditions in Melbourne have predominantly been hot and humid, and it was quite the same for Sabalenka and Andreeva's fourth-round clash. However, despite this, the Belarusian registered a comprehensive 6-1, 6-2 win over the Russian teen prodigy, firing three aces and converting four out of seven break point opportunities.

During her post-match, on-court interview, Aryna Sabalenka was asked about how she felt competing in the difficult conditions prevalent in Melbourne. The World No. 1 hilariously replied:

"Well, you know, I'm getting older and I'm actually not sure if it's good for me." (at 0:55)

This reply sparked laughter from the crowd in the Rod Laver Arena. Sabalenka proceeded to assess the differences between her third-round win over Clara Tauson and her fourth-round victory against Andreeva.

"No, but I mean, like, previous day was such tough conditions, the ball was so heavy, you had swing really hard at the ball and I don't know, I was just swinging too hard and today, I came out to the court and I was just like trying to put the ball back and the ball was flying like a rocket you know," Sabalenka added.

The Belarusian also expressed her happiness over her level of performance against Andreeva, saying:

"I don't know, I'm super happy with my level today. I hope the conditions help me and I hope it's going to be the same till the end of the tournament and it's going to help me the same way."

A resurgent Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova awaits Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Australian Open.

Aryna Sabalenka would do well to be wary of former World No. 11 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in Australian Open 2025 QF

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in action at the Australian Open (Image Source: Getty)

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, currently the World No. 32, sealed her own progress to the 2025 Australian Open quarterfinals with a 7-6(0), 6-0 win over No. 18 seed Donna Vekic. Pavlyuchenkova is set to lock horns with Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinals, and the Russian has the upper hand against the Belarusian in their WTA Tour-level head-to-head.

The pair's maiden meeting on the WTA Tour came in the 2019 Canadian Open, where Pavlyuchenkova emerged victorious in the Round of 64. Their next meeting came two years later, in the semifinals of the Madrid Open. This time around, the matchup finished in Sabalenka's favor.

Next, they faced each other in the 2021 French Open's Round of 32, with Pavlyuchenkova once again defeating Sabalenka. However, things have changed drastically since then. The Belarusian is a much more improved player now, having worked rigorously on some of her on-court weaknesses.

- Sudipto Pati

ARYNA SABALENKA THROUGH TO FOURTH ROUND OF AUSTRALIAN OPEN AFTER TOUGH BATTLE

MELBOURNE, VIC - JANUARY 12: Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus celebrates during Round 1 of the 2025 Australian Open on January 12 2025, at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia. Photo: Jason Heidrich/Icon Sportswire

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka shrugged off a shaky display to fight her way into the fourth round of the Australian Open.

The Belarusian had a 7-6(5) 6-4 victory over Denmark's Clara Tauson.

The day's first match on the Rod Laver Arena at the start of the sixth day of the championships was hardly vintage tennis, but Sabalenka was pleased to come away unscathed after a little over two hours in bright sunshine and challenging conditions.

"She played some unbelievable tennis," Sabalenka said.

"I'm super happy that I was able to close out this match and be in the fourth round."

Aryna Sabalenka is chasing a third straight Australian Open title at the 2025 tournament. Photo: Photosport

Sabalenka has been far from her devastating best in the first two rounds and against Tauson she dropped serve four times in a wobbly opening set, but her opponent was equally profligate as both players struggled with the sun and breeze.

"Conditions are really tough for serving, the balls are heavy and the surface slow so with the breaks," said Sabalenka, who conceded four breaks in the opening set of a match for the first time since San Diego in 2022.

"I was just thinking, just keep pushing through."

The first hold in the eighth game was greeted with a big round of applause as world number 42 Tauson surged to a 5-3 lead, but Sabalenka bounced back.

The top seed stabilised her own delivery and then drew level at 5-5 before Tauson recovered to save four set points and force a tiebreak, where she matched the big-hitting Belarusian punch for punch in the first 10 points.

Novak Djokovic continues his quest for a 25th Grand Slam title. Photo: AFP

Sabalenka shifted up a gear, however, and earned a set point with a stinging backhand winner before closing it out with a big forehand to leave Auckland champion Tauson a tad deflated after 63 minutes of toil.

The Dane gifted her opponent a break early in the second set but continued to carve out chances and made it to 4-4, only to fade away after a marathon game that had seven deuces as the momentum shifted one last time.

Sabalenka completed the win on serve to keep alive her bid to become the first woman to capture three successive titles at Melbourne Park since Martina Hingis from 1997-99.

Novak Djokovic resumes his quest for a record 25th Grand Slam title and 11th at Melbourne Park later in the day and Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev and Coco Gauff will also be in action on the main showcourts.

Meanwhile, Kiwi Erin Routliffe has progressed to third round with doubles partner Gaby Dabrowski.

The second seeds dropped the first set against Anna Sisková and Maia Lumsden, before coming back to claim the match 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

It was another tough battle for the pair, who were also made to come back from a precarious position in the opening round.

- Reuters

WTA ROUNDUP: RUSSIA TEEN WIN OPENER AT GUANGZHOU

Reuters

Russian 19-year-old Diana Shnaider took down eighth-seeded American Claire Liu 6-1, 6-3 in the first round of the Guangzhou Open on Monday in China.

Shnaider won six straight games in the first set and came back from a 2-0 hole in the second set to win in 75 minutes. She broke Liu's serve six times in eight chances.

Also falling on the first day of the main draw was sixth seed Linda Fruhvirtova of the Czech Republic. Denmark's Clara Tauson eliminated Fruhvirtova 6-2, 7-6 (6).

No. 1 seed Magda Linette of Poland avoided a similar fate, rallying past Jodie Burrage of Great Britain 6-7 (3), 6-0, 6-2.

No. 5 seed Rebeka Masarova of Spain, No. 7 seed Greet Minnen of Belgium and Harriet Dart of Great Britain also won their opening matches.