Sabalenka Surges into Australian Open's Second Round

Aryna Sabalenka overcame early challenges to defeat French wildcard Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah and advance to the Australian Open's second round. Initially under pressure, Sabalenka found her rhythm, leveraging power to secure victory. She now faces Chinese qualifier Bai Zhuoxuan, with her relentless performance capturing the attention of tennis legends.

Aryna Sabalenka faced a rocky start but quickly gained momentum to overpower French wildcard Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah 6-4 6-1 in her Australian Open opener on Sunday. Despite trailing initially, the world number one recovered swiftly to dominate the match's proceedings at Rod Laver Arena.

After finding her stride and confidence, Sabalenka turned her early issues into mere footnotes, displaying her powerful game style by securing a decisive forehand to clinch the first set. In the second set, an early break helped Sabalenka maintain control, culminating in a comprehensive victory and setting up a second-round matchup against China's Bai Zhuoxuan.

Sabalenka, praised for her unpredictable playing approach and serving prowess, expressed her admiration for tennis legends Roger Federer and Rod Laver, who watched from the stands. "It's unbelievable," she said, as she took a moment to celebrate with a selfie alongside the icons.

(With inputs from agencies.)