World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka dug deep to reach the fourth round of Australian Open 2026 after a hard-fought 7-6(4), 7-6(7) win over Anastasia Potapova at Rod Laver Arena.
The four-time major champion was pushed to her limits in a two-hour, two-minute contest, saving four set points in the second-set tiebreak. Sabalenka praised Potapova’s aggressive play and her own resilience in a match filled with momentum swings.
Extending her eight-match winning streak in 2026, Sabalenka now faces Canada’s Victoria Mboko, her first seeded opponent of the tournament, as she continues her quest for another Melbourne crown.