Aryna Sabalenka has survived the test of playing teenage star Victoria Mboko at the Australian Open.
Sabalenka had already praised Mboko, prior to their fourth round match that she won 6-1 7-6(1).
After winning a comfortable first set, Sabalenka was put more to the test by Canadian Open champion Mboko.
Sabalenka is still yet to drop a set in Melbourne this year, but Mboko was able to make a fightback and put pressure on the world number one in the latter stages of the match.
Aryna Sabalenka praises Victoria Mboko after beating her
While the second set went to a tie-break, Sabalenka actually led Mboko 6-1 4-1 before the Canadian made a comeback.
When asked about what happened that led to this comeback, Sabalenka admitted that she was struggling to hold serve on one side of the court where the sun was in her eyes.
Sabalenka was also full of praise for Mboko, who she claimed played ‘incredible tennis’ to break her serve.
“Yeah, she’s incredible, that’s for sure,” Sabalenka said about Mboko in her post-match press conference. “But the tricky thing about playing the first match, don’t get me wrong I like to play the first match, but the tricky part, at some point the sun goes right into your serve point. It’s kind of like tricky. It’s become not easy. You can break the serve.
“That’s what actually happened. Two breaks that she got, it was on the side when I was facing the sun. Yeah, I didn’t deal that good with the serve. She done incredible job serving on that side. That’s the tricky part.
“I knew she’s going to be fighting. I knew she’s going to be trying. She kind of like has nothing to lose. She showed incredible tennis in those moments when she broke my serve. But yeah, I was just focusing staying in the moment, playing point by point, trying to get this win.”
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Aryna Sabalenka suggests if she will play mixed doubles with Novak Djokovic
Sabalenka has now reached at least the quarterfinals of the Australian Open for the fourth consecutive year, and she was not only asked about her win over Mboko.
Another player who has been very impressive in Melbourne over the years is 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic.
Sabalenka has a friendship with Djokovic, and she was asked if they are planning to play mixed doubles together in the future.
The US Open overhauled their mixed doubles event last year, and features many more top singles stars including Djokovic.
Sabalenka did not compete in the event after her partner Grigor Dimitrov withdrew due to injury, but she has now hinted that she could partner Djokovic in New York later this year.
“Maybe at the US Open this year (smiling),” responded Sabalenka. “I mean, I’m still waiting. He just like barely asked me at the US Open last year.
“I’m still waiting for that long message from him, how he would like to play with me, that I’m his dream partner. So I’m still waiting for the message. Never got it. I don’t know. Maybe we’re not playing (laughter).”
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There is still quite some time until the US Open, with Sabalenka currently focussed on winning her third Australian Open title.
Sabalenka will now play another teenager in the Australian Open quarterfinals, as she takes on American Iva Jovic.
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