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Sabalenka wins first set 6-3
*Sabalenka (1) 6-3 Bai I thought this was heading rapidly towards 6-0 but Bai has entered the match now. Sabalenka is getting frustrated with her mistakes, some patience is needed. Sabalenka goes from winning a point by snapping a forehand down the line, to losing the next with a silly unforced error. Set point is up again for the fifth time but Bai brings it back to deuce with a clever soft volley falling short of Sabalenka.
Sixth set point. Sabalenka with too much power again! Seventh set point and finally she has it, Bai can’t get on top of her powerful serve. First set to the Belarusian.
Sabalenka (1) 5-3 Bai* Bai looked like a different player at the end of that game (and in this one) compared to the first few. A strong first serve forces an error from Sabalenka. Bai’s serves have improved too, Sabalenka looks uncomfortable unable to move her body out of the way to return smoothly. But a lovely forehand from Sabalenka to the top corner brings them to deuce. Bai overhits a backhand across the court to give Sabalenka the first set point but its back to deuce from an unforced error.
On third deuce and Bai’s first double fault for the match gives Sabalenka second set point which she squanders. Now it’s her third go at set point but she finds the net. Fourth set point lost! Sabalenka is sending her forehands flying over the baseline.
The game is going over 10 minutes (longest by FAR). Bai wins! Her final volley hits the net but pops up and over. Sorry Sabalenka.
*Sabalenka (1) 5-2 Bai* I don’t think Sabalenka is happy to have lost a game. There is some added aggression to her and it’s resulting in her overhitting. She loses the first two points. Bai has perhaps also adjusted now to the pace of play. Sabalenka hits the net and Bai has her first break point. And she breaks Sabalenka!
Sabalenka (1) 5-1 Bai* They’ve only been playing for less than 20 minutes so far. The sixth game starts with the longest rally so far which ends with an unforced error from Bai. She rebounds nicely with an ace though, that’s her third point. Sabalenka is trying to keep coming forward but it’s not always working, as evident in her exasperation. Bai hits a second ace and then forces an error from Sabalenka at full stretch to win her first game!
*Sabalenka (1) 5-0 Bai Sabalenka goes for the serve volley and nails it, then tries again the second point and hits the net. Third go works to but it’s not seamless. She follows with a classy ace. Oh and a lovely backhand winner from Bai (first winner of the match) on return. Sabalenka responds by pushing in close and slamming down a volley just to remind everyone who is on top here.
Sabalenka (1) 4-0 Bai* Really hoping Bai can warm up and get into some sort of groove. At the moment it’s very straightforward for Sabalenka, who is smashing Bai’s serve back with disdain. The fourth game is over in three minutes. Bai is being pommelled.
*Sabalenka (1) 3-0 Bai Bai finally has a point. Sabalenka goes for a backhand across the court and it doesn’t have the height to go over. A double fault follows, then Bai hoops her return over the baseline. Even Sabalenka’s second serve is too much for Bai, who gives the third game away with two unforced errors.
Sabalenka (1) 2-0 Bai* Bai starts with a slower second serve which Sabalenka easily returns and Bai meekly hits her backhand into the net. Bai is clearly nowhere near Sabalenka’s level. The Belarusian takes the second game and Bai hasn’t got a point yet.
Quiet please. PLAY!
*Sabalenka (1) 1-0 Bai Sabalenka dominates from the get-go. Hitting two backhand winners off Bai’s serve return. She’s loud and looking confident. Make that three, Bai doesn’t even bother stretching to reach it. And the first game is done and dust in slightly over two minutes as Sabalenka fires down a forehand which Bai flails towards but can’t make any contact.
Beautiful conditions out on Rod Laver Arena, I can report from my desk about 40km away.
The warmup is complete. Here we go.
Sabalenka and Bai are on the court, the coin is tossed and the No 1 will serve. They will have a short on-court warmup now.
It’s Bai’s second time playing in the second round here in Melbourne.
Fashion notes: Sabalenka is in her BRIGHT orange, pink and black dress. Bai is in a classic (almost football jersey-esque) blue T-shirt, black shorts and white cap.
On to the match at hand, and Sabalenka will be hoping for a smoother run than her first-round match in which French wildcard Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah provided a somewhat tricky start.
The Belarusian is, of course, a two-time Australian Open champion already, after lifting the trophy in 2023 and 2024. Last year she lost to American Madison Keys in the final.
Elsewhere around Melbourne Park, defending women’s singles champion, Madison Keys, overcame a wobbly start to defeat Ukrainian Oleksandra Oliynykova, who was nearly successful in throwing off her opponent with her unusual style.
Tumaini Carayol took a closer look at that encounter:
And Jannik Sinner powered through to the second round after retired.
… Australia’s day three recap continued …
There were torturous late-night losses suffered by Daria Kasatkina and Kimberly Birrell, but Australia still has six women in the second round.
Nikola Bartunkova defeated Kasatkina 7-6 (7), 0-6, 6-3 in a topsy-turvy contest. And Maddison Inglis who defeated Birrell 7-6 (6), 6-7 (9), 6-4 in an all-Australian clash that lasted three hours.
But in exciting news, earlier Dane Sweeny and James Duckworth increased the count of Australian men in the second round to five. Duckworth outlasted the Croatian lucky loser Dino Prizmic in five sets by winning the last two.
Sweeny, 24, shared a compelling meeting of opposites which also marked the final appearance at Melbourne Park for the French veteran Gaël Monfils. The Australian dropped to the ground in elation after defeating the 39-year-old from France 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-4, 7-5
Australia day three recap
OK tennis, yes! There were shocks, heartbreak and elation as one little known local knocked out a much-loved veteran.
It started with Australia’s top-ranked women’s singles player, Maya Joint, losing her opening match to Tereza Valentova in straight sets 6-4, 6-4. She was understandably devasted by vowed to come back stronger.
Then, local wildcard Taylah Preston defeated China’s Shuai Zhang, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3, which was her first grand slam win ever! Preston now meets 13th seed Linda Noskova of Czech Republic.
Before I get into any kind of day three tennis recapping, we need to take a moment for the outfit of the day (or maybe of the tournament?).
Of course it was the one and only Naomi Osaka who completely stole the show with her entrance on to Rod Laver for the final match of the evening session.
Guardian journalist Matilda Boseley messaged me urgently about this, and summarised my feelings well.
Literally screaming crying throwing up over Osaka’s outfit. Amazing.
More players need to get around this walk-on outfit trend. Maybe Sinner could dress up as a mustard bottle.
Preamble
Jo Khan
Hello and welcome to our Australian Open day four blog. I’m Jo Khan and I’m here to bring you the action from women’s No 1 Aryna Sabalenka v Zhuoxuan Bai who are up first on Rod Laver Arena this morning.
Then my colleague Joey Lynch will take over to cover the men’s No 1 Carlos Alcaraz v Yannick Hanfmann following on centre court.
The two top singles players breezed through their opening matches – and the same is certainly expected for Sabalenka today. Alcaraz faces the No 102 ranked men’s singles player who may make him work for it a little more.
It’s overcast in Melbourne this morning, and considerably cooler than yesterday, which I imagine both players and spectators will be happy about.
Any thoughts, please do send me an email to [email protected].
Let’s go!
