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Aryna Sabalenka: Defending champion survives first test as last year's beaten-finalist Qinwen Zheng is shocked

Aryna Sabalenka survives first Australian Open test, while Chinese ace Qinwen Zheng is shocked; Naomi Osaka sets up meeting with fellow mum Belinda Bencic; watch all the action from the ATP and WTA Tours on Sky Sports Tennis and Sky Sports+, NOW and the Sky Sports app

Wednesday 15 January 2025 07:17, UK

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reacts after winning a point against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro of Spain during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Image: Top seed Aryna Sabalenka beat Jessica Bouzas Maneiro to reach the Australian Open third round but the defending champion battled back from 5-2 down in the second set

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka survived a first Australian Open test, but last year's beaten finalist Qinwen Zheng suffered a shock second-round exit.

Chinese star Zheng reached her first Grand Slam showpiece here last year before going on to win Olympic gold and establish herself as one of the best players in the world.

But she came unstuck against German Laura Siegemund, a 36-year-old better known for her prowess in doubles, going down 7-6 (7-3) 6-3.

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"I think not much to say because I tried what I can do during this match," said Zheng. "I feel maybe today is not my day. There's a lot of details in the important points. I didn't do the right choice."

"I knew I just had to play more than my best tennis," said Siegemund, who earned her first top-10 win since 2022.

"I had nothing to lose so I told myself to swing free. She's an amazing player, she's one of the best players now. But I know I can play and I just wanted to make it a tough fight."

Sabalenka was also in trouble down 5-2 in the second set to Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, but the top seed extended her winning run at Melbourne Park to 16 matches with a 6-3 7-5 victory.

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"I'm super happy to have finished this match in straight sets," said Sabalenka. "She played incredible tennis, especially in the second set. I'm really happy I was able to turn around that set."

Sabalenka's win in numbers


Since 2023, Sabalenka is 39-3 at Grand Slam events after winning the first set – her only defeat on hard court in that span was to Coco Gauff (US Open Final 2023).

Since 2020, Sabalenka (46) has won the most women's singles matches on hard court at Grand Slam events - Iga Swiatek (36) is next-best.

Sabalenka has become the first player to claim 16+ straight Grand Slam match wins on hard court since Naomi Osaka in 2019.

Sabalenka has won now her past 23 women's singles matches at Grand Slam events against opponents ranked outside the WTA's top 50 in straight sets.

Tale of the Tape

The Belarusian next faces talented young Dane Clara Tauson, who was a 6-2 6-2 winner over Tatjana Maria.

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Naomi Osaka has not gone beyond the third round of a Grand Slam since winning her second title in Melbourne in 2021.

But the former world No 1 has started the season strongly and she followed up her first-round win over Caroline Garcia by coming from a set down to see off 20th seed Karolina Muchova 1-6 6-1 6-3.

Her draw does not get any easier with former top-10 star and fellow mother Belinda Bencic up next.

The Swiss is making her return to Grand Slam tennis following the birth of daughter Bella last April.

Bencic is enjoying the change in routine, saying: "We're just doing more fun stuff and trying to go out for a walk or trying to go to the aquarium. I don't think I would be going to the aquarium before.

"So, just in terms of family time, it's definitely changed. Different things to do now in terms of preparation, but it's better because it takes, I think, my mind off tennis a little bit."

What's coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?


ABN AMRO Open Rotterdam (ATP 500) - 3-9 February

Dallas Open (ATP 500) - 3-9 February

Delray Beach Open (ATP 250) - 10-16 February

IEB+ Argentina Open (ATP 250) - 10-16 February

Open 13 Provence (ATP 250) - 10-16 February

Transylvania Open (WTA 250) - 3-9 February

Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open (WTA 500) - 3-8 February

Qatar TotalEnergies Open (WTA 1000) - 9-15 February

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships (WTA 1000) - 16-22 February

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Seventeen-year-old Mirra Andreeva came through an extremely tight clash against Moyuka Uchijima, the 14th seed eventually winning 6-4 3-6 7-6 (10-8), while seventh seed Jessica Pegula saw off Elise Mertens 6-4 6-2.

Watch the ATP and WTA Tours, as well as the US Open in New York, live on Sky Sports in 2025 or stream with NOW and the Sky Sports app, giving Sky Sports customers access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost. Find out more here.