Overview
- Aryna Sabalenka defeated France’s Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah 6-4, 6-1 in about 1 hour 16 minutes in Melbourne.
- She is the two-time defending champion in Melbourne and is pursuing a fifth Grand Slam title.
- Rod Laver and Roger Federer attended the match, and Sabalenka snapped a post-match selfie with the two icons.
- Sabalenka said facing a young, lesser-known opponent can be tricky, referencing limited familiarity with Rajaonah’s game.
- Italy’s Jasmine Paolini also advanced, beating Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-1, 6-2 in the early rounds.