Sabalenka breaks Djokovic Open Era record with 20th straight Grand Slam tiebreak
Sabalenka breaks Djokovic Open Era record with 20th straight Grand Slam tiebreak
Aryna Sabalenka advances to the Australian Open quarterfinals with a 6-1, 7-6 win over Victoria Mboko, claiming a 20th consecutive Grand Slam tiebreak and surpassing Djokovic.
Aryna Sabalenka delivered a milestone moment at the Australian Open by breaking Novak Djokovic’s Open Era record with her 20th consecutive Grand Slam tiebreak win. She defeated Canada’s Victoria Mboko 6-1, 7-6(1) to advance to the quarterfinals in Melbourne. The Belarusian, a two-time Australian Open champion, leaned on powerful serving and aggressive shotmaking to seize control early, closing the opening set in 31 minutes after a string of aces.
Mboko, just 19 and seeded No. 17, displayed grit and belief in the second set, erasing a 4-1 deficit and forcing the tiebreak. Sabalenka, however, regained her rhythm in the decider, dictating rallies from the outset and converting when it mattered most to seal the win and the record with a dominant start to the tiebreak.
Djokovic responded to the moment with humor, acknowledging Sabalenka’s steady surge under pressure and joking about the loss of the record. The Australian Open continues to showcase Sabalenka’s consistency, as she adds another chapter to a career defined by clutch performances in Grand Slams. With her performance in Melbourne, Sabalenka extends her impressive run at a tournament where she has previously claimed the title in 2023 and defended it in 2024, reinforcing her status as one of the form players of the event.
As Sabalenka moves into the quarterfinals, the focus shifts to Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena, where the Open Era record was toppled and a new benchmark for Grand Slam tiebreak dominance has been set. The match underscores the competitive depth of the women’s draw, with top seeds trading blows as the tournament heads toward the business end.
