Aryna Sabalenka Advances to Australian Open Quarterfinals
Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka is having to work her way through some rising teenage stars in her bid for a third Australian Open title in four years. On Sunday, Sabalenka held off 19-year-old Vicky Mboko 6-1, 7-6 (1) at Rod Laver Arena to advance to a quarterfinal match against 18-year-old Iva Jovic.
Sabalenka, who has won back-to-back titles in Australia in 2023 and 2024, had some difficulty in the second set against Mboko, but ultimately dominated the tiebreaker to secure the win. “What an incredible player for such a young age,” Sabalenka said of Mboko. “It’s incredible to see these kids coming up on Tour. I feel like I’m a kid! She pushed me so much, and I’m happy to be through.”
Rising Star Iva Jovic Secures Spot in Quarterfinals
The 29th-seeded Jovic overwhelmed Yulia Putintseva 6-0, 6-1 in 53 minutes at John Cain Arena, securing a spot in the last eight of a Grand Slam for the first time. Jovic has been getting some good advice from 24-time major winner Novak Djokovic during the tournament. Djokovic said he’s happy to help an up-and-coming star with Serbian heritage.
Jovic made it clear last year that she wanted a chance to play the World No. 1, and now she’ll get the chance. “I feel great. Really glad to get through,” Jovic said. “Obviously, the scoreline is favorable. I felt like if I let her come back a little bit, it would become a dog fight.” Jovic saved two break points in the opening game of the match against Putintseva and was dominant throughout, breaking Putintseva’s serve six times.
Coco Gauff Returns to Quarterfinals
Coco Gauff, who was still a teenager when she won her first major title in 2023, is back into the quarterfinals in Australia for the third straight year after a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 win over No. 19 Karolina Muchova. In a good omen for Gauff, her four previous wins over Muchova have been during runs to the title, including in the semifinals at the 2023 US Open.
Sabalenka led the second set 4-1 against Mboko, but failed to convert three match points while leading 5-4. Mboko slowly took momentum and forced a tiebreaker, only for Sabalenka to dominate. It was the 20th straight tiebreak victory for Sabalenka. “I try to — not to think this is a tiebreak and play point by point,” said Sabalenka. “I guess that’s the key to consistency.”
Jovic and Mboko were scheduled to play doubles together later Sunday on Kia Arena against fourth-seeded Elise Mertens and Zhang Shuai. After her singles win, Jovic said she would concentrate on her own game when she faced Sabalenka. As for her progress from here, Jovic said she will trust her instincts. “I know how hard I’ve worked,” she said. “I’m just trusting everything is going to happen like it should.”
