Defending champion Sabalenka reaches 4th round

MELBOURNE, Australia – Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and U.S. Open winner Coco Gauff swept to commanding wins at the Australian Open on Friday to reach the fourth round.

Second-seeded Sabalenka beat Lesia Tsurenko 6-0, 6-0 in 52 minutes while No. 4-seeded Gauff dropped just two games in beating fellow American Alycia Parks 6-0, 6-2.

Sabalenka, who won her first Grand Slam title here 12 months ago, has dropped just six games in three rounds.

“Last year, Iga (Swiatek) won so many sets 6-0 and this is one of the goals, to try to get closer to her,” Sabalenka joked. “I’m just super-happy with the level I’m playing so far. Hopefully, I can just keep going like that or even better.”

The pair did not shake hands – as is the convention for Ukrainian players against opponents from Russia or Belarus, where Sabalenka

is from – but Tsurenko congratulated Sabalenka verbally.

Sabalenka will play Amanda Anisimova, who continued her comeback with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Paula Badosa. Anisimova, who took seven months out of the game last year for mental health reasons, hit 40 winners on her way to the fourth round.

“It’s quite unbelievable,” the American said. “For sure taking a step away from the game ... gave me a new perspective. I’m trying to be in the present. I think in the past I was getting too caught up in the past and the future.”

Sabalenka said she expects a tough match against Anisimova, who has won four of their five matches.

“She’s an incredible player and I’m really happy to see her back,” Sabalenka said. /