Sabalenka admitted that Bai Zhuoxuan made her feel tense on court: playing against her is tricky.

For Sabalenka, no obstacle is insurmountable. The world number one, pursuing her third Australian Open crown, stormed through Melbourne Park with impressive force. In the last two years, she has been defeated only once here—losing to Keys in last year’s final. Yet, in the second round match against Bai Zhuoxuan, a small scare caused a momentary wobble, though she soon gave her opponent the respect she deserved.

On Wednesday morning at Rod Laver Arena, the Belarusian star had to give her all to overcome the challenge posed by Chinese player Bai Zhuoxuan. Leading 5-0 in the first set, the top seed seemed poised for an easy win, but Bai broke back, sharply raising the tension on court. This brief lapse tested Sabalenka’s mental toughness, but once she regained composure, the world number one found her rhythm again and quickly extended her lead.

After the match, Sabalenka said: “Yes, I feel great and I’m very happy to have won. My opponent was really tough, very tough. She played very aggressively in the first set, and at one point I thought, ‘Okay, what do I do? She’s on fire.’ I’m really glad I managed to take that set. I think it gave me more confidence and reassured me that everything is fine, that I’m here and my team is here. Just stay focused, take it point by point. Yes, I’m truly happy about this victory.”

Back on her most familiar and favorite stage, Sabalenka knows how to shine under Melbourne’s spotlight. The Belarusian player won the Australian Open in both 2023 and 2024, and was runner-up last year. She currently holds four Grand Slam titles (two of which are from New York) and is now chasing her fifth major championship, continuing to write her own legendary story.

For Bai Zhuoxuan, this night marked an important step in her comeback journey. Once ranked as high as world No. 83, she returned after a season marred by injury, entering the tournament ranked No. 702, yet successfully made her presence felt. A few crucial aces helped her get off to an early lead, although Sabalenka soon began to dominate the rallies.

Under immense pressure, Bai Zhuoxuan turned almost every point into a battle. She saved 25 out of 38 break points across qualifying and the first round, and in one grueling game lasting 10 minutes, she saved 3 more break points. However, Sabalenka’s power was ultimately unstoppable. She clinched the first set on her seventh set point, then unleashed full force in the second set by winning four straight games. In the end, she won comfortably 6-3, 6-1 in 1 hour and 12 minutes to advance to the round of 32. Despite committing 14 unforced errors in the first nine games, she finished the match with 24 winners.

Sabalenka has reached the third round of the Australian Open for the sixth consecutive year. Besides starting the 2026 season with a perfect 7-0 record, she also holds an undefeated 7-0 record in second-round matches at Melbourne.

She always manages to win the matches she is expected to. For over three years, she has never lost to a player ranked outside the top 100—the last time she lost to someone ranked beyond the top 100 was at the 2022 US Open against Kanepi, who had previously been in the world top 20. It is certain that this streak will remain intact after the next round.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Spark)