Sabalenka survives despite service disruption but Kontaveit crashes out

As Aryna Sabalenka stepped up to the baseline for her Australian Open second-round match against Wang Xiynu of China, it did not take her long to realise this would be yet another day without her serve.

The double faults came immediately and with great variety: slightly long, barely wide, back fence, photo pit. She served six in her opening service game and she had nine after her second. So predictable were her troubles, the stats keepers were ready: at one point in the first set Sabalenka had attempted 117 second serves in 2022; 57 had ended in a double fault.

In the first weeks of the new season, Sabalenka’s serving woes have been one of the most curious storylines. Her high-risk game has always naturally yielded a high number of errors, but in the final weeks of last season, she completely lost control. She ended her 2021 campaign with a miserable series of serving performances – and losses – at the WTA Finals. In her first two matches of this season, both losses, she served a combined 38 double faults.

And yet, on a day of upsets in the women’s draw, and in front of an ambitious young player in search of a career best win, Sabalenka defeated Wang 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 to reach the third round.

Last year, Sabalenka’s success was one of the defining aspects of the season. She won two titles, made numerous deep runs and then reached her first two grand slam semi-finals at Wimbledon and the US Open. Although she has learned to harness her power and register consistent results, demolishing the ball remains her modus operandi. It was effective enough for her to finish the season with a career high ranking of No 2 in the world.

In recent matches, Sabalenka had allowed her service issues to consume her. She spent her first-round