(January 25, 2026) No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka advanced to her 13th straight major tournament quarterfinal by defeating 19-year-old, 17th seed Victoria Mboko of Canada 6-1, 7-6(1) at the Australian Open. Sabalenka led in the second set 4-1 and 5-3, but Mboko pushed her, extending the set into a tiebreaker.
The Belarusian has now won 20 straight tiebreakers at major tournaments.
“I try to — not to think this is a tiebreak and play point by point, and I guess that’s the key to consistency,” Sabalenka said.
“What an incredible player for such a young age,” the 27-year-old Sabalenka said on court of the young Canadian. “It’s incredible to see these kids coming up on Tour. I can’t believe I say that. I feel like I’m a kid.”
“She pushed me so much, and I’m happy to be through,” Sabalenka added in her on-court interview.
Sabalenka will face another teen in the quarterfinals. American Iva Jovic demolished Kazakh Yulia Putintseva 6-0, 6-1 in 53 minutes.
Iva Jovic is the youngest player to reach the Women’s Singles quarterfinals at the Australian Open without dropping a set since Venus Williams in 1998.
More to follow…
