Sabalenka defeats Rodina to advance to the third round of Indian Wells

Indian fountain: Australian Open winner Aryna Sabalenka moved into the third round of the Indian Wells WTA and ATP Masters 1000 on Friday with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Evgeniya Rodina.

Sabalenka, who has played in just her second tournament since winning her first Grand Slam trophy in Melbourne in January, took just 65 minutes to finish off Rodina, who was playing her eighth match since returning to competition at the US Open last year after a three-year break, she took a second parental leave.

Sabalenka admitted she didn’t even remember playing against Rodina before in Tashkent 2017, but she was delighted to come through easily in a tournament where she never got past the round of 16.

Russia’s Rodina, who edged out France’s Alize Cornet in the first round, offered little resistance. Sabalenka converted five of her 12 break chances and saved all four break points she faced.

Sabalenka, still banned from playing under her home flag of Belarus due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, next meets Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko, who defeated 29th-seeded Croatian Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-2. 6-2

Tsurenko has won four WTA titles and reached the Thailand Open final in early February. -AFP