Aryna Sabalenka negotiated a tricky contest against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro to book her place in the third round of the Australian Open.

Sabalenka is aiming to become the first woman since Martina Hingis in the 1990s to win three successive Australian Open titles.

And despite a wobble in the second set on Wednesday, the world number one kept her cool to continue that quest with a 6-3 7-5 triumph at Rod Laver Arena.

Spaniard Bouzas Maneiro, the world number 54, held her own, and seemed set to take the match to three sets when she led 5-3 in the second.

But successive breaks saw Sabalenka regain control, only for Bouzas Maneiro to brilliantly claw back two match points.

A sublime forehand winner at the end of a superb rally teed up Sabalenka's third chance, though, and it was one she did not pass up as Bouzas Maneiro returned into the net.

Melbourne Aryna

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW@SabalenkaA | #AO2025 pic.twitter.com/SkpMALrNa7
— wta (@WTA) January 15, 2025

Next up for Sabalenka is Clara Tauson, who defeated veteran campaigner Tatjana Maria 6-2 6-2.

Data Debrief: Hard-court specialist Sabalenka storms on

Sabalenka has now reeled off 16 straight wins at Melbourne Park. She is the first player to win as many successive grand slam matches on hard courts since Naomi Osaka in 2019.

The Belarusian has now registered 150 hard-court wins on the WTA Tour since the start of the 2020 season, which trails only Iga Swiatek's tally (157).

Indeed, her 82.5% (52-11) winning ratio is the best of any active player at hard-court grand slams.