Melbourne, Jan. 21 -- World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka showcased her championship pedigree on Wednesday at the Australian Open, overcoming a mid-match wobble to defeat Chinese qualifier Bai Zhuoxuan 6-3, 6-1 in the second round.
The two-time Melbourne Park champion demonstrated adaptability, mixing her trademark power with occasional serve-and-volley plays and drop shots to keep her opponent off balance. Sabalenka admitted that embracing such tactical changes was initially difficult.
Bai, ranked world No.702, fought hard, saving multiple break points, but could not match Sabalenka's pace and firepower. The top seed, who was briefly broken while serving for the first set, steadied herself to close out the match in 74 minutes.
Sabalenka will fac...