Bai, a qualifier making waves, faltered early, trailing 0-5 after just 15 minutes as Sabalenka’s aggressive baseline game overwhelmed her. The Chinese player responded with aces and resilience, saving break points and briefly challenging in the first set. Yet, Sabalenka’s consistency prevailed, sealing the set before dominating the second with a 4-0 surge, ending the match in 74 minutes overall.

The Belarusian’s opponent in the next round will be the winner of Emma Raducanu versus Anastasia Potapova, setting up potential fireworks. This triumph is Sabalenka’s 25th Australian Open main draw win post-2000, placing her in elite company with Serena Williams, Lindsay Davenport, Justine Henin, Ash Barty, and Iga Swiatek.

Extending her streak to seven consecutive victories at Melbourne Park, Sabalenka has now hit the third round in six straight years, undefeated at 7-0 in second rounds. Her form signals a strong title defense bid.

Elina Svitolina also advanced convincingly, overcoming Linda Klimovicova 7-5, 6-1. Shnaider, her next foe, pulled off a stunner against Talia Gibson 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, erasing two match points in a gritty battle.

As the women’s draw heats up, Sabalenka and Svitolina position themselves as frontrunners, with third-round results likely to shape the tournament’s narrative.