Australian Open 2026 Women’s Day 8

Aryna Sabalenka held off a  late surge from Victoria Mboko on Sunday to earn a 6-1, 7-6 (1) trip into the Australian Open quarter-finals as the top seed put down a rebellion from her teenaged Canadian opponent.

Sabalenka, winner of two of the last three Melbourne editions and runner-up a year ago to Madison Keys, was rolling like a juggernaut in the early stages, nailing down the opening set in 32 minutes.

The world No. 1 also swept six consecutive games to claim the opener and take a 2-0 lead in the second in what was looking like a rout of the 19-year-old who lost the Adelaide final this month.

Mboko left it late but began to come alive, recovering from 4-1 down in the second and twice breaking the seed to take the set into a tiebreaker after saving three match points in the 10th game.

Faced with a long afternoon, Sabalenka took charge in the breaker and ran off her 20th straight in a decider, finally advancing on her fifth match point as Mboko drove long over the baseline.

“She’s an incredible player, especially for such a young age,” the 27-year-old winner said. “She pushed me really hard.

“So I’m super happy to win in straight sets, happy to be through.”

Four-time Grand Slam winner Sabalenka said she stayed competitive when faced with a fightback from the 17th-seeded youngster.

“The key is playing point by point. It’s very rare you will always play your best tennis so you have to stay in the moment. Just go out and show your best fighting spirit.”

Mboko said she learned from the defeat: “At the end of the day it really came down to experience. 

“She played really great tennis. I of course had my chances. But I’m glad to have played her today and just seeing how she can play and what to expect.

“So just a learning curve from now on.”

Sabalenka will play in the last eighth against another North American teen when she faces Iva Jovic, who crushed Yulia Putintseva 6-0, 6-1.

Coco Gauff booked her third straight Melbourne quarter-final as she stayed alm to complete a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 defeat of former Roland Garros finalist Karolina Muchova.

The Czech made life hard for the third seed who holds a pair of Grand Slam trophies, with the American keeping her cool to come through in the deciding set.

“I’m really happy to get through this one,” the 21-year-old said.’I didn’t panic in the third set even if the second could have gone my way.

“I didn’t capitalise on my chances in the third. I was trusting my shots after I got a little passive. But I can see that the work in practice is showing up in the matches,” she said after advancing on third match point.

Main photo:- Aryna Sabalenka advances to quarter finals – by ISFLtd