"Try to get close to her": Aryna Sabalenka aims to open Iga Swiatek type bakery with bagel aim at Australian Open

Aryna Sabalenka shared her thoughts following the 'Double Bagel' she delivered to the 28th seed Lesia Tsurenko in the third round of the 2024 Australian Open. The Belarusian left no room for her opponent, eliminating her from the tournament in just 52 minutes in another commanding victory.

During the on-court interview, Sabalenka was asked about her remarkable form that allowed her to secure a double 6-0, and she mentioned her aspirations to emulate Iga Swiatek's achievements in 2023: "Last year Iga won so many sets 6-0, and this is one of the goals - try to get closer to her."

The World No. 2 addressed her determination to fight for every set and expressed her happiness with the level of play so far. She hopes to continue this momentum or even improve throughout the tournament: "Actually, I'm just super happy with the level I'm playing so far and hopefully I can just keep going like that, or even better."

The American tennis player has been a positive highlight for the tour in the 2024 Australian Open, showcasing her return to great form after being away from the courts for nine months. Anisimova is currently World No. 442, but she has already guaranteed a rise of more than 200 positions and is on the verge of re-entering the top 200 in only her second match of the year.

Anisimova secured victories in the first round against the 13th seed Liudmila Samsonova, followed by a win against the Argentine Nadia Podoroska (No. 65), and then an impressive triumph over the former World No. 2 Paula Badosa. “It's quite unbelievable after taking some time off, but I'm really feeling good," Anisimova said.

Sabalenka shared her thoughts on her upcoming opponent, praising her for the triumphant return to the tour: "She's [an] incredible player, I'm happy to see her back in tennis,” the 2023 Australian Open champion said. "We played a lot of matches, always tough battles, and I'm looking forward to a great fight," she added.