Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka continues her reign of dominance in Melbourne with a convincing 6-3, 6-1 victory over China’s Bai Zhuoxuan.

On Wednesday morning, the world no. 1 booked her place in the third round of the Australian Open in straight sets at the Rod Laver Arena. It was another reminder of just how dangerous Sabalenka is on Australian hard courts, where winning now feels normal.

Sabalenka has won 22 of her last 23 matches at the Australian Open. She now stands undefeated with a 7-0 record in 2026 from the Brisbane International to the Australian Open. This is the seventh time the Belarusian has made it to round 3 in the first slam of the year.

The Highlights

She raced to a quick 5-0 lead in the opening set, but Bai, ranked No. 702, refused to go away quietly. The Chinese, just making her second Australian Open appearance, used clever drop shots to force Sabalenka to work through seven set points before closing it out 6-3.

“I was happy to get this win, a tricky opponent,” Sabalenka said post-match. “She really stepped in in the first set for a moment, I felt: what shall I do? She’s crashing it.”

But any hopes for a comeback for Bai were crushed as Sabalenka cruised in set 2. She surged to a 4-0 lead, experimenting with serve-and-volley tactics. “You saw serve-and-volley today,” Sabalenka smiled. “It didn’t really work well, but I did one.”

Sabalenka finished with 4 aces, winning 34 service points, and converted 5 of 12 break points. Bai managed three consecutive games in the first set but could not sustain.“Super happy I was able to close that set,” Sabalenka reflected. “Focus step by step… You’re ok, just keep fighting, keep trying, and I’m glad I did it well.

Sabalenka has partnered with Emirates this season

Off court, her momentum continues to grow. She has partnered with Emirates, becoming the airline’s first-ever tennis ambassador. The announcement was marked by Sabalenka unveiling a tennis-inspired livery on an Emirates A380 aircraft.

“In tennis, every little detail counts – so to align with a brand which matches my ambition and attention to detail makes this feel like a natural fit,” she said.

Going into round 3, the two-time Australian Open champion (2023, 2024), was runner-up to Madison Keys last year. She is now chasing her 3rd at AO and fifth Grand Slam singles crown.

Written by

Fatema Kapasi

Edited by

Joyita Das