The Fort Worth Press - Sabalenka smashes Tsurenko 6-0, 6-0 at Australian Open

The Belarusian second seed, who won her maiden Grand Slam crown in Melbourne last year, is seeking to become the first woman to retain her title since compatriot Victoria Azarenka completed the feat in 2013.

Sabalenka, wearing vivid red, bristled with intent from the start against the Ukrainian on Rod Laver Arena, cantering home in just 52 minutes.

"Last year (world number one) Iga (Swiatek) won so many sets 6-0 and this is one of the goals," she said. "I'm trying to get closer to her.

"I'm super happy with the level I'm playing at so far and hopefully I can keep going like that or even better."

Tsurenko, who started the match with a 1-1 record against her opponent, this time had no answer to her devastating power and could muster only a paltry 11 points in the first set compared with 27 for Sabalenka.

It was a similar story in the second set.

Tsurenko had two points to get on the board in the second game on her own serve but Sabalenka slammed the door shut to break again.

She did not let up, smashing 10 winners past her hapless opponent in the set, sealing victory by breaking for the third time when Tsurenko dumped a forehand into the net.

Sabalenka enjoyed a breakthrough 2023. As well as winning the Australian Open she also made the semi-finals in Paris and at Wimbledon before losing to Coco Gauff in the final of the US Open.

Nobody will want to play her in Melbourne, where she is yet to be remotely tested.

The 25-year-old breezed past German qualifier Ella Seidel in the first round for the loss of just one game and romped home 6-3, 6-2 against 16-year-old Brenda Fruhvirtova in the second round.

She has been on court for less than three hours over her three matches.

In contrast, top seed Swiatek has already spent more than five hours in action over just two matches.

On Thursday another potential obstacle was removed from Sabalenka's path when Kazakh player Elena Rybakina, whom Sabalenka beat in last year's final, crashed out.

In the fourth round, she will face unseeded American Amanda Anisimova, who is playing her first Grand Slam since taking an eight-month mental health break.

"I'm happy to see her back in this," Sabalenka said of Anisimova. "We have played a lot of matches, lots of tough battles and I'm looking forward to a great battle."

T.Dixon--TFWP