Chaos, courage, Sabalenka: World No. 1 escapes Potapova thriller in Melbourne

Aryna Sabalenka celebrated again at the Australian Open after defeating Anastasia Potapova 7-6(4), 7-6(7). The World No. 1 had to battle hard throughout the match, specially in a rollercoaster second set, in which Sabalenka went from holding a four-game lead to saving as many as four set points against her, before closing out the victory against a tricky opponent and advancing to advance to the fourth round of the Happy Slam for the sixth consecutive time.

Potapova had come from a surprise win over Raducanu in the second round and hoped to produce another upset against the two-time Australian Open champion. In the first set, she recovered from a break down and saved several set points before losing a tight tie-break that was decided by small details. The Austrian will drop some positions in the rankings and will be placed at No. 58 at the end of the tournament.

On the other hand, Sabalenka continues to show her great level at Melbourne Park, where she has had six consecutive appearances – at least – in the Round of 16. Her consistency carries over to all Grand Slams, considering that she has reached at least the fourth round in her last 13 consecutive major tournaments (17/19 since early 2021).

Sabalenka could expect a difficult match against a tricky rival like Potapova (No. 55) – former World No. 21 with several top-10 wins. The Belarusian moved quickly to take the lead and got the first break of the match immediately, moving ahead 2-0.

However, Potapova quickly responded with a break back, and within minutes the score was level again. The first set offered few opportunities for either player, and both maintained their service without issues for much of the set. Sabalenka was the one putting pressure on her rival, winning her service games more comfortably, while Potapova began to struggle more with her first serves, especially toward the end.

The Austrian saved three set points at 0-40, 5-6, sending the set to a tie-break. The tie-break was marked by mini-breaks on both sides: Potapova earned three mini-breaks versus Sabalenka’s five. A parallel backhand gave the tight first set to the four-time major champion, who, after more than an hour of struggle, was rewarded with the first set 7-6(4) against a determined Potapova.

In the first set, both players combined for 24 winners and 37 unforced errors, showing that errors and nerves played a major role. However, in the second set, Sabalenka’s dominance was more evident, as she came out mentally stronger from the first set, while Potapova dropped significantly – both in precision and in attitude on court.

A determined Sabalenka took control of the match from the start: she won 12 of the first 13 points and secured two consecutive breaks. The Belarusian moved ahead to a clear 4-0, and from there it seemed only a matter of time before the World No. 1 would close out the victory.

However, a reaction came from a determined Potapova, who did not give up easily. The Austrian looked lost, but produced a simply remarkable response, winning the next four games in a row and unleashing her opponent’s frustration.

Sabalenka had lost effectiveness on serve, combining an 83% first-serve percentage with winning only 57% of those points. Without doing much damage on serve, Potapova responded by taking risks, and that is how the breaks came. There were three consecutive breaks for the World No. 55, while Sabalenka managed to respond with one along the way, sending everything to a tie-break. It was a battle marked by errors on both sides, in which Potapova squandered four set points in her favour, and finally Sabalenka sealed the complicated victory after more than two hours of play.

In the fourth round, she will face the 19-year-old Victoria Mboko, who defeated Clara Tauson in a tight three-set battle.