Last year’s Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka cruised past Lucia Bronzetti 6-3 6-0 in just 58 minutes in the second round of the Brisbane International.
Sabalenka has extended her winning streak to 12 consecutive matches. Last year the Belarusian player won titles in Adelaide and at the Australian Open, where she claimed her first Grand Slam title.
Sabalenka earned the first break in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead in the opening set. She won eight of the next nine games to close out the match. She fired eight aces and fended off the only break point she faced. Sabalenka set up a match against China’s Zhu Lin.
“I am very happy to play in front of fans here in Australia. They are amazing. I am focused on the record I am making right now. I am just focusing on myself and bringing my best tennis in every match I play”, said Sabalenka.
Elena Rybakina beat 21-year-old Australian player Olivia Gadecki 6-4 6-1 in the second round. Rybakina earned the only break on her third opportunity in the 10thgame to win the first set 6-4. The 2022 Wimbledon champion won 67% of her second serve points to win the first set 6-4.
Gadecki won her only previous match against top 5 opponents.
Rybakina set up a Round of 16 match against Elise Mertens. Jelena Ostapenko beat Camila Giorgi 6-1 6-4. Ostapenko did not face any break points in the first set and broke twice in the fourth and sixth games to close it out 6-4. Giorgi broke serve in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead. Ostapenko won four consecutive games with two breaks of serve to close out the second set 6-4 setting up a Round of 16 against Karolina Pliskova, who beat Naomi Osaka 3-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-4.
Jelena Ostapenko beat Camila Giorgi 6-1 6-4. Ostapenko did not face any break points in the first set and broke twice in the fourth and sixth games to close it out 6-4. Giorgi broke serve in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead. Ostapenko won four consecutive games with two breaks of serve to close out the second set 6-4 setting up a Round of 16 against Karolina Pliskova, who beat Naomi Osaka 3-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-4.
