Melbourne, Jan. 21 -- World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka continued her smooth progress at the 2026 Australian Open, advancing to the third round on Wednesday, while Great Britain's Emma Raducanu suffered an early exit in Melbourne. According to Olympics.com, the two-time Australian Open champion needed just 72 minutes to dispatch qualifier Bai Zhuoxuan 6-3, 6-1 in the second round of the season's opening Grand Slam. Sabalenka was dominant throughout, underlining her status as the top seed and a leading contender for a third title at Melbourne Park.
Sabalenka had been on course for a potential third-round clash with 2021 US Open champion Raducanu, but that matchup failed to materialise after Anastasia Potapova eliminated the Briton.
Potapova, who...