Press releases

23 Jan 2026

Sabalenka advances to 2026 Australian Open round four

Aryna Sabalenka. Photo courtesy of the Belarusian Sports Ministry

MINSK, 23 January (BelTA) – Belarus’ world number one Aryna Sabalenka secured her third victory at the 2026 Australian Open in Melbourne, BelTA has learned.

In today’s third-round match, the Belarusian faced Austria’s world number 55 Anastasia Potapova and won in two tie-breaks: 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (9-7). The match lasted two hours and four minutes. In the first round, Aryna Sabalenka defeated France’s world number 118 Tiantsoa Rakotomanga in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1, then confidently overcame China’s world number 702 Zhuoxuan Bai with a score of 6-3, 6-1. The Belarusian’s next opponent will be Canada’s Victoria Mboko (16). Aryna Sabalenka is the two-time Australian Open champion (2023, 2024), having lost in last year’s final to American Madison Keys.

Belarus’ world number 102 Aliaksandra Sasnovich, who made it to the Australian Open main draw through the qualifiers, lost in the first round to Italy’s world number 7 Jasmine Paolini, 1-6, 2-6.

The tournament at Melbourne Park will be over on 1 February.