Arizona Tribune - Relieved Sabalenka defies serve struggles to stay alive in Melbourne

The world number one dropped serve three times and faced 11 break points before overcoming Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro on Rod Laver Arena 6-3, 7-5, rattling off the last five games in a row.

It was a 16th consecutive victory on Melbourne's centre court for Sabalenka, who is looking to win the first Grand Slam of the year for a third time in a row.

Next up is Denmark's 42nd-ranked Clara Tauson, who faces a daunting task given the 26-year-old Belarusian's record on the blue hardcourts.

"She played incredible tennis today and it was a really tough one. I expected this tennis from her, I'm really glad I was able to win this match," said Sabalenka.

"In the second set, honestly, I wasn't rushing too much. After 5-2 I thought, 'okay whatever, we'll leave this set and move on'.

"But I was able to turn it around and super happy to win in straight sets against someone like her who really makes you work for every point."

Sabalenka is playing a Slam for the first time as the top seed and knows she has a target on her back.

"I have to fight. Today's match proved that. Girls can go there and just play without any fear, without anything to lose. They can put you in really uncomfortable positions," she said.

"You have to go out there and fight and compete and show your best."

Bouzas had pedigree, beating then-reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova at the All England Club last year, while steadily climbing the rankings to her current 54.

Both players' radars were off in a seesawing opening set, with five service breaks, two against the top seed.

Sabalenka eventually reduced the error count to hold for 5-2 then again to take the set in a shaky 44 minutes.

The service wobbles returned in the second set and a wayward forehand gave Bouzas a break to move 3-1 ahead, then she held with an ace to turn the tables.

The Spaniard served for the set at 5-3, but Sabalenka dug herself out of a hole to break back when the 22-year-old netted a backhand.

Bouzas had run out of gas, broken again before the Belarusian served out for the match.

Sabalenka is hunting down a rare hat-trick of consecutive Australian Open wins, a feat last achieved 26 years ago by Martina Hingis and only matched by four other women in history.

M.White--AT