Sports
Sabalenka’s tiebreak mastery survives Mboko fight to reach quarters
Aryna Sabalenka again proved a tiebreak tyrant as she beat Canadian Victoria Mboko
6-1, 7-6(1) to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals for the fourth straight year.
Sabalenka crushed Mboko in a 31-minute first set but surrendered a 4-1 lead in the
second as the 17th seed mounted an impressive comeback.
The world number one was broken twice and had to battle to force a tiebreak, where
she was dominant, racing to a 6-0 lead and sealing the match when Mboko sent a
forehand long.
“What an incredible player for such a young age,” Sabalenka said of the 19-year-old.
“It’s incredible to see these kids coming up on tour. She pushed me really hard today.
Super happy with the win … and happy to be through.”
Sabalenka’s victory extends her astonishing run of tiebreak success, with 22
consecutive wins in the decider, and sets up a quarter-final meeting with 18-year-old
American Iva Jovic.
Mboko leaves Melbourne with her reputation enhanced after her first Grand Slam
centre-court appearance, but Sabalenka blamed the conditions for the late wobble.
“At some point the sun goes right into your serve point,” she said. “It’s kind of tricky.
That’s what actually happened. Two breaks that she got, it was on the side when I was
facing the sun.”
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