Aryna Sabalenka ends Canadian teen's dream to stroll into Australian Open quarters
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Aryna Sabalenka ends Canadian teen's dream to stroll into Australian Open quarters")
Aryna Sabalenka ends Canadian teen's dream to stroll into Australian Open quarters Photograph: (X)
Hot favourite to win the first Slam of the year, Sabalenka beat the 19-year-old in straight sets 6-1, 7-6 (7/1) at the Rod Laver Arena.
Women’s world number one Aryna Sabalenka ended the dream run of Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko on Sunday (Jan 25) to stroll into the Australian Open 2026 quarter-final, her 13th consecutive across all majors. Hot favourite to win the first Slam of the year, Sabalenka beat the 19-year-old in straight sets 6-1, 7-6 (7/1) at the Rod Laver Arena. The Belarusian will play another teenager, this time an American, Iva Jovic, in the next round.
Meanwhile, a two-time Australian Open champion, Sabalenka, remains in the quest to reach her fourth Melbourne final, avenging a shock defeat last year to the USA’s Madison Keys. Although against Mboko, Sabalenka recorded 24 unforced errors, letting slip a massive 4-1 lead in the second set.
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"What an incredible player for such a young age, it's incredible to see these kids coming up on tour," she said. "She pushed me really hard today and super happy with the win, and once again, in straight sets."
The hard-hitting Mboko arrived in Melbourne on the back of a breakthrough six months, winning her maiden WTA title in Canada in August, beating Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka along the way. She followed it up with victory at the Hong Kong Open and made the final of the Adelaide International this month before powering through to her first round of 16 at a major. But playing an experienced world number one on centre court at a Grand Slam was a bridge too far.
Sabalenka saved two break points on her opening service game before sealing it with an ace as the pair sized each other up. But once she had the measure of Mboko, Sabalenka began to assert herself, reeling off winners to score a double break and race through the opening set in 31 minutes.
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Mboko, with heavy strapping on her right leg, was broken again to slump 1-0 behind in the second set as she struggled to find any answers.
A double-fault by the Canadian gifted Sabalenka another break to surge 4-1 clear, and it appeared all over. But Mboko pulled back a break then saved two match points to break again and spark the crowd to life.
It went to a tiebreak, where Sabalenka is a master and raced through to bank the win.
Watch Sabalenka's winning reaction -
Meanwhile, Sabalenka has now won 20 straight Grand Slam tiebreaks to draw level with Novak Djokovic for the most in the Open era.
(With inputs from AFP)
