High-seeded Aryna Sabalenka overcame a number of bouts of inconsistent play Friday to beat Anastasia Potapova 7-6 (4), 7-6 (7) and advance to the fourth spherical on the Australian Open.
Third-seeded Coco Gauff additionally took a troublesome route by the third spherical, weathering early bother towards fellow American Hailey Baptiste earlier than advancing with a 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 victory. Gauff lower down her unforced errors and didn’t serve any double-faults within the second set.
Sabalenka, chasing her third Australian Open title in 4 years, led 6-5 and 40-0 within the opening set however Potapova saved all three set factors to ship it to a tiebreaker. Sabalenka led 3-0 within the tiebreaker earlier than Potapova leveled at 3-3.
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Sabalenka held two extra set factors and clinched the set when she laced a backhand down the road off Potapova’s second serve.
After trailing 4-0 within the second set, Potapova rallied to tie it 4-4 and once more pressure a tiebreaker. Potapova had three set factors to win the set within the tiebreaker, however Sabalenka rallied when the strain was on.
“She performed unimaginable tennis,” Sabalenka stated of Potapova in her on-court TV interview. “I used to be at all times on the again foot. There are days the place you simply need to battle and . . . it was such a battle.”
Sabalenka received the Australian Open title in 2023 and 2024 and was the runner-up a 12 months in the past to Madison Keys. Sabalenka has additionally received the US Open twice.
Additionally Friday, No. 17 Victoria Mboko defeated 14th-seeded Clara Tauson 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-3.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
