Sabalenka Powers Past Andreeva into Australian Open Quarter-Finals

World number one Aryna Sabalenka cruised into the quarter-finals of the Australian Open with a dominant 6-1, 6-2 victory over 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva, extending her winning streak at Melbourne Park to 18 matches.

Aryna Sabalenka, the world's top-ranked player, delivered a dominant performance to advance to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, defeating 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva 6-1, 6-2 on Sunday. This convincing victory maintains Sabalenka's quest for a third consecutive title at Melbourne Park.

Andreeva, seeded 14th, struggled to find her footing in the fourth-round encounter on Rod Laver Arena, as Sabalenka elevated her game to overwhelm the teenager. The Belarusian's impressive display extended her winning streak at Melbourne Park to 18 matches, underscoring her status as a strong contender for the title.

Sabalenka, who had suffered a surprising three-set loss to Andreeva in the quarter-finals of last year's French Open, was determined to avoid a repeat upset. Whenever Andreeva threatened to gain momentum, Sabalenka responded by ramping up her powerful serve, ultimately sealing the victory in just over an hour with an unreturnable serve.

Aryna Sabalenka expressed her admiration for her opponent, Mirra Andreeva, after securing a straight-sets victory in their fourth-round encounter. “Always tough matches against Andreeva, she's so young but playing such great tennis,” the 26-year-old said on the court. Sabalenka was relieved to have overcome the challenge posed by the 17-year-old, adding, “I'm super happy to get through this difficult match in straight sets.”

Sabalenka also reflected on the improved conditions at Rod Laver Arena, which she felt contributed to her strong performance. Unlike her previous match, where she struggled with her serve, Sabalenka was much more comfortable in the hotter temperatures on Sunday. “I'm super happy with my level today and I hope the conditions stay the same for the rest of the tournament,” she said.

The match began with both players holding their serve comfortably, but it was Sabalenka who eventually broke through in the fourth game. Four consecutive forehand errors from Andreeva handed Sabalenka a break for 3-1, and the top seed never looked back. She wrapped up the first set in just 25 minutes and broke again for 2-1 in the second set, capitalizing on a couple of double faults from Andreeva.

Aryna 𝗗𝗢𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 Sabalenka!

With this spot in the #AusOpen quarterfinals, Aryna has now reached the most women's singles QFs (10) at Grand Slam events since 2020 🤯@wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • @SabalenkaA • #AO2025 pic.twitter.com/0a9uRvkNuG

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 19, 2025

While Sabalenka's powerful serve and groundstrokes were on full display, she also showcased her more subtle skills, including a couple of clever drop shots. These shots demonstrated the wider repertoire she has been working to add to her game. Andreeva did manage to apply some pressure on Sabalenka's serve at 3-2 down, but the US Open champion responded with an ace and a drop shot to see off the only three break points she faced in the contest.