World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka reached her 13th consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final by defeating Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko 6-1, 7-6. After a dominant start, Sabalenka had to fend off a fightback from the 19-year-old, ultimately winning her 20th straight tie-break.
The top seed now faces an even younger challenge in 18-year-old American Iva Jovic, who has yet to drop a set at the tournament. Jovic, who idolizes Novak Djokovic, earned her maiden top-10 win over Jasmine Paolini and is the youngest quarter-finalist here since Venus Williams in 1998.
Sabalenka is bidding for her third Australian Open title in four years, having made every major quarter-final since 2022. Jovic, meanwhile, has already collected 11 wins this season and received advice from Djokovic himself, setting up a compelling clash between established power and rising talent.
Source: SkySports | News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing