Australian Open: Sabalenka downs Martincova to cruise into second round

No.5 seed Aryna Sabalenka extended her stellar season start, overpowering 74th-ranked Tereza Martincova to reach the second round of the 2023 Australian Open here at Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday.

Sabalenka produced a stellar performance to dispatch Martincova 6-1, 6-4 in a match that lasted 1 hour and 9 minutes.

Sabalenka, who won her 11th career title at the Adelaide International 1 just over a week ago, has started the year with a 5-0 record for the third time in the last five seasons.

When she was down break points, Sabalenka's characteristic power game was strengthened by her extreme tenacity. The World No. 5 faced four break points in the 1-1 game of the first set, but after escaping that danger, she sped through the remaining games of the opening set without dropping a game.

The same thing happened at 1-0 in the second set when she unexpectedly launched a rally forehand pass down the line to avoid another break point. Sabalenka continued to hold, then quickly won the crucial break for a 2-1 advantage and a convincing victory.

"The only thing I can say is that I'm really working hard. Physically, mentally, yes, I'm ready to go deep [in Melbourne]. Hopefully I will do my best on court, and I will go deep," Sabalenka said.

Elsewhere at Court 3, Leylah Fernandez got through a blockbuster first-round clash on Tuesday, when she overwhelmed the highest-ranked unseeded player, World No.34 Alize Cornet 7-5, 6-2.

Last year in Melbourne, Cornet advanced to her maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal, but this time she was defeated early by 20-year-old Fernandez, who won 62 per cent of the points by returning the second serve of Cornet.

Shelby Rogers, who defeated qualifier Arianne Hartono 6-4, 6-3 in the first round, will be a challenge for Sabalenka in the second round. Rogers has three Top 10 victories at Grand Slams, including an unexpected victory over Ashleigh Barty, the No. 1 player at the time, at the 2021 US Open.

( With inputs from ANI )