By Shrivathsa Sridhar
MELBOURNE, Jan 18 (Reuters) – Aryna Sabalenka came under early pressure as she launched her bid for a third Australian Open title but the Belarusian clicked into gear and overpowered French wildcard Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah 6-4 6-1 to reach the second round on Sunday.
The world number one arrived for the match at Rod Laver Arena as the firm favourite but found herself a break down after the opening game and looked troubled throughout the first set by the guile of left-hander Rakotomanga Rajaonah despite getting back on serve.
“I think I didn’t start my best but she showed up, was fired up and she was playing great. It was a tricky start and I’m super happy I found my rhythm at the end of the first set and I felt a bit more confident,” Sabalenka said.
“I didn’t know much about her, I watched her previous games, but it’s always tricky to play against someone you don’t really know and also left-handed but I’m super happy to be able to close this match in straight sets.”
Sabalenka eventually found her rhythm and reasserted control, turning her initial difficulties into little more than a footnote as the 27-year-old settled into her power game to go up 5-4 and wrapped up the set with a huge forehand that her opponent returned long.
An early break in the second set helped Sabalenka to go 3-0 up and there was no stopping the four-times major champion, who closed out the contest on her third matchpoint to book a second-round clash with Bai Zhuoxuan, who beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
After coming to the net 22 times against Rakotomanga Rajaonah, the powerful Sabalenka will look to continue mixing up her game when she meets Chinese qualifier Bai.
“I prefer to be unpredictable,” Sabalenka said. “I was definitely working on the serve and volley. I’m super happy to be able to do it in the match. You know, in the practice is one thing, but to be able to be fearless and go there in the match is something else.
“I’m really proud I’m able to show this tennis.”
Sabalenka celebrated her win by taking a selfie with tennis greats Roger Federer and Rod Laver, who were in the stands.
“I’m a huge fan. The whole match I was just telling myself, ‘do not look there, please, do not look’,” Sabalenka told reporters.
“It’s incredible. I’d never have thought Roger Federer and Rod Laver are going to be sitting first row watching my match. That’s unbelievable.”
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Melbourne, Editing by Clare Fallon)
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