Australian Open: Aryna Sabalenka powers into quarter-finals for the first time after crushing Belinda Bencic

Aryna Sabalenka is through to the Australian Open quarter-finals after a 7-5 6-2 win over Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medallist Belinda Bencic.

Sabalenka’s first serve and forehand were firing well, hitting 32 winners compared to Bencic’s 14, as she continues her impressive record of not dropping a set in the eight matches she has played this year.

The No. 5 seed will play either Donna Vekic or Linda Fruhvirtova in the last eight.

“I’m super happy with the win today,” Sabalenka said in her on-court interview after the victory which took one hour and 27 minutes.

“She’s [Bencic] an unbelievable player. She played so good and I’m super happy with the level today. Just really happy with this win.

“It takes me a little while to understand that negative emotions are not going to help you on court.

“You just have to stay strong, believe no matter what and do everything you can to get back in the score. Really happy with the mindset during the game today.”

The sun appeared to be getting into the eyes of Sabalenka during her second service game of the match.

The world No. 5 double faulted three times and it presented Bencic with the chance to break, which she took with a forehand winner at the net to go 2-1 up.

Errors kept coming from the racquet of Sabalenka, but Bencic looked to be rushing her shots at 4-3 up and the Belarusian broke back to restore parity.

Momentum was with Sabalenka and a blistering forehand return of serve earned her set point. Bencic then gifted Sabalenka the set by double faulting.

Sabalenka went all out attack in the second set and it was another double fault from Bencic that gave her the first break to move into a 3-1 lead.

Bencic lost her composure slightly and could not find a way back into the match with her first serve letting her down.

Sabalenka finished the fourth round match on Bencic’s serve, converting her second match point with a forehand winner.

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