Sabalenka Dominates: World No. 1 Sends Warning Shot with 58-Minute Masterclass
MELBOURNE — If the opening round was about shaking off the nerves, the second round was a statement of pure, unadulterated intent.
Aryna Sabalenka has firmly re-established herself as the woman to beat at Melbourne Park. On a sweltering Wednesday afternoon at Rod Laver Arena, the defending World No. 1 produced a performance of terrifying efficiency, dismantling Chinese qualifier Bai Zhuoxuan 6-1, 6-0 in just 58 minutes to reach the third round of the 2026 Australian Open.
A Different Level of Power
From the very first point, it was clear that Bai, who had survived an exhausting three-set marathon in her opening match, had no answer for the Belarusian’s weight of shot. Sabalenka struck 24 winners to just 8 unforced errors—a stark contrast to her error-prone first-round victory over Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah.
The match was essentially over as a contest after just 20 minutes. Sabalenka’s serve was untouchable, peaking at 194 km/h and yielding five aces. Bai, currently ranked outside the top 100, was frequently forced three meters behind the baseline just to get a racket on the ball, but the depth and velocity of Sabalenka’s groundstrokes made defensive play nearly impossible.
“I felt much more ‘at home’ today,” Sabalenka said during her on-court interview, her smile reflecting the ease of the win. “In the first round, I was looking at the crowd, seeing Roger [Federer] and Rod [Laver], and I got a bit tight. Today, I was just focused on the ball. I wanted to be aggressive and not give her any room to breathe.”
The Road to a Third Crown
Sabalenka is chasing her third Australian Open title in four years, a feat that would solidify her place among the legends of the hard court. Having already secured the Brisbane International title earlier this month without dropping a single set, her “Melbourne Form” looks even more dangerous than in her 2024 championship run.
The draw is now opening up favorably for the top seed. With several Top 10 seeds struggling in the Melbourne heat, Sabalenka appears to be moving through the gears at exactly the right time.
