World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka cruised through to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open after defeating Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko 6-1, 7-6 in one hour and 26 minutes at Rod Laver Arena on Sunday. The Belarusian dominated the proceedings from the onset, while the Canadian put up an intense fight back to force a tie-breaker in the second set.
But Sabalenka dug in deep to beat Mboko 7-1 in the tiebreaker and thereby ended her magical run in Melbourne. The four-time Grand Slam champion led Mboko in all primary key stats, including winners (31), first serve percentage (68%), first serve win percentage (64%), service break success rate (80%), and won a total of 75 points.
After the match, Sabalenka addressed some media questions during a post-match press conference, where she answered game-related questions. Surprisingly, one journalist asked the Belarusian about her opinion on Ukrainian player Aleksandra Melnikova’s politically charged criticism of Gucci’s partnership with her.
“I respect that everyone is allowed to have their opinion and use their platforms, but I’ve been clear before that, I’m pro-peace, and nothing has changed, and that’s all I can say about that,” Sabalenka said.
Aryna Sabalenka Rejoiced After Signing a Global Partnership With Gucci
After her round 3 win against Anastasia Potapova, Sabalenka sported Gucci sunglasses for the post-game press conference and spoke highly of her partnership with the Italian luxury brand, joining the likes of former World No. 1 Jannik Sinner. “Well, Gucci is bold and expressive. I think it’s the best fit,” Sabalenka said.
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“It’s a perfect time to bring fashion to the court. Gucci is the best brand, the best fashion brand, with the best designer right now. Yeah, I think we can do really cool stuff on court. I’m so into Gucci right now that my English is not working. I’m sorry, guys. I’m really off today. But I will try my best to explain myself,” she added.
The Belarusian will be in action next against yet another teenage sensation in the face of Iva Jovic, who has taken Melbourne by storm. The duo will play their quarterfinal match at Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday.
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