Sabalenka bulldozes past Rogers to secure third round berth at Australian Open

It was a routine day at the office for Aryna Sabalenka, who made quick work of Shelby Rogers on Thursday to advance to the third round at the Australian Open.

The fifth seed recorded a 6-3 6-1 win over her American opponent, limiting her service errors in a very dominant performance. Double faults had been a problem for the big-hitting Belarusian during most of the 2022 season, but Sabalenka blazed through the second round encounter without committing a single one.

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After an early exchange of breaks, it was all Sabalenka, who rallied off five straight games to take the opening set. The World No.5 resumed her assault in the second set, overpowering Rogers from the baseline with her fearsome groundstrokes.

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Rogers was able to win the first game, but could not prevent her higher-ranked opponent from reeling off six straight games. Sabalenka closed out the match with a backhand winner after an hour and 27 minutes, adding to the impressive 32 winners she hit during the match.