By Lidia Kelly
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka said her struggles on serve in her gruelling win over Carla Tauson in the third round of the Australian Open on Friday were down to gusty conditions that weakened one of her most powerful weapons.
The opener on Rod Laver Arena began with seven consecutive breaks of serve, with the Belarusian losing her fourth service game to love, raising concerns that the woes that once plagued her were threatening a return.
It was Sabalenka’s worst start to a match since 2022 in San Diego, when her serve was broken four times in the opening set, but the 26-year-old said there was nothing to worry about.
“After a few games the balls became much heavier and it’s hard to serve aggressive, powerful serves, so you just try to direct the serve somehow and start building the rallies,” Sabalenka told reporters in Russian.
“Tauson received it very well and I did too and that’s why it was such a rather unusual match. Thank God that I succeeded in managing the conditions.”
Sabalenka’s serving woes were so severe three years ago that she served underarm in one contest at the Adelaide International and ended the season with 440 double faults – 151 more than any other player.
She quickly got to work on it after employing a biomechanics expert and tasted success at the Grand Slam stage for the first time at Melbourne Park in 2023.
“Over the years, I struggled a lot with different stuff,” she told reporters.
“I think all of those difficult experiences make me a really tough person.”
Friday’s win in a little over two hours was Sabalenka’s 17th on the trot on the main showcourt, but she chose not to dwell on the numbers for too long.
“I still have to go there. I still have to fight for every point,” she said.
“I have to bring my best tennis. If not my best tennis, then the best fighting spirit.”
And her biggest lesson from beating Tauson?
“Damn … Just play every rally as if it were the last one and fight until the end regardless of the circumstances.”
(Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Saad Sayeed)
