In a display of sheer power and mental fortitude, Aryna Sabalenka extended her remarkable Australian Open streak by booking her spot in the quarterfinals after a hard-fought 6-1, 7-6(1) win over teenage sensation Victoria Mboko.
This triumph not only secures her fourth consecutive quarterfinal here but also her 13th straight at Grand Slams. Sabalenka etched her name in the history books by clinching her 20th consecutive Grand Slam tiebreak, eclipsing Novak Djokovic’s long-standing mark of 19 set between 2005 and 2007.
Sabalenka dictated terms from the outset, steamrolling through the opener in 45 minutes. A commanding 4-1 lead in the second set hinted at a rout, but Mboko mounted a spirited comeback, breaking back twice and erasing match points to force a tiebreak.
The decider was all Sabalenka, who dismantled Mboko 7-1 in the breaker after 1 hour and 26 minutes of intense tennis. The Belarusian’s ability to stay cool under pressure proved decisive.
“Victoria is phenomenal for her age,” Sabalenka said afterward. “She made me work extremely hard. Grateful to close it in two sets.”
Sabalenka now faces 29th-seeded American Eva Jovic, who dominated Yulia Putintseva 6-0, 6-1 for her maiden major quarterfinal berth. Fresh off AO crowns in 2024 and 2025, Sabalenka is poised to chase a three-peat in Melbourne.