Press releases

8 Feb 2021

Sabalenka moves to Australian Open second round

Photo courtesy of twitter.com/WTA

MINSK, 8 February (BelTA) – Belarus’ world number 7 Aryna Sabalenka has progressed into the second round of the Australian Open, BelTA has learned.

In the first round the Belarusian solved Slovakia’s world number 100 Viktoria Kuzmova 6-0, 6-4 in an hour and two minutes. Aryna Sabalenka will next play Russia’s world number 75 Darya Kasatkina.

Two-time Australian Open winner, former world number one Victoria Azarenka, currently world number 13, will face world number 61 Jessica Pegula of the United States. Aliaksandra Sasnovich, world number 92, will take on Estonia’s world number 22 Anett Kontaveit.

Belarus’ world number 79 Egor Gerasimov fought through France’s world number 29 Benoit Paire 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 in the opener. The Belarusian will next play Russia’s world number 114 Aslan Karatsev. Belarus’ world number 110 Ilya Ivashka will play Russia’s world number 183 Roman Safiullin.

The 2021 Australian Open money prize is $55.2 million. The men’s and women’s singles winners will earn $2.1 million each. The 2021 Australian Open will finish on 21 February. The winners of the last year’s edition were Sofia Kenin of the United States and Novak Djokovic of Serbia.