Annabel Croft
Former British number one on BBC Radio 5 Live

Sabalenka is really getting hold of the ball and pushing Rybakina back. Nice to see her coming forward - and we have to remind ourselves what a great doubles champion she is as well.

Sabalenka is doing a good job of rushing Rybakina now.

This one, Sabalenka gets. Rybakina concedes the game off the forehand.

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But Rybakina then hands Sabalenka another chance, skewing a forehand net-bound after some brilliant defensive play from the Belarusian.

Not right now, says Rybakina as she sends down a cracking ace.

Deuce.

Another engaging game as the points go back and forth across the net, Sabalenka working the court well to draw level at 30-30

From there, Rybakina nets off the backhand and Sabalenka has the chance to break.

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Pat Cash
Former Wimbledon champion on BBC Radio 5 Live

Sabalenka is hanging in there. She is just as likely to blast some blistering winners.

But when she gets nervous and she hits the balls flat, they can fly out. But she can still remain dangerous.

Sabalenka is still not asserting control on her service games, let off the hook for her own errors in this game by those from the opposite side of the net.

At deuce, she plonks an ace down the T for advantage, and sees it out with another.

A nice way to end another difficult game.

Annabel Croft
Former British number one on BBC Radio 5 Live

Rybakina is very zen-like on the court. We have been admiring how accurate her serves have been.

Sabalenka puts too much spin on a forehand, before again struggling to return a huge Rybakina serve.

Rybakina holds, but that was a far harder game to navigate than her previous few.

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Lovely, lovely stuff from Rybakina who, after playing a forehand that JUST edges in, plays a delightful drop shot that Sabalenka has no chance of reaching.

Sabelanka levels with a forehand plonked right on the line, before unleashing a backhand that Rybakina can't control.

The 22nd seed draws level at 30-all as her opponent fails to deal with a serve, and then has game point as Sabalenka nets. But the Belarusian returns the next serve perfectly.

Deuce.

Annabel Croft
Former British number one on BBC Radio 5 Live

Rybakina is hitting the ball beautifully and with the benefit of that first set, it makes it easy for her to play with freedom. It is a little negative down Sabalenka's end, arms flailing around.

Sabalenka is gritting her teeth to galvanise everything here now.

Sabalenka brings up game point as Rybakina fails to return a powerful serve high enough to clear the net.

She finally gets an important hold as another forehand proves too much for Rybakina.

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Sabalenka saves the first break point with a forehand that sends Rybakina in the wrong direction along the baseline.

Rybakina drops her second chance, skewing a return wide.

Deuce.

Sabalenka is growing frustrated at her inability to land her first serves.

Her mood isn't helped as Rybakina takes a 15-40 lead and has two chances to break in the opening game of the set.

After a bathroom break for both players, the second set gets under way. Will Rybakina wrap it up in two? Or will Sabalenka force a decider?

Let's find out.

Russell Fuller
Tennis correspondent at Melbourne Park

Sabalenka has been given virtually no opportunity.

Rybakina coming very good after being broken back.

That's the first set Sabalenka has lost in 2023.

A deep rally ensues on the first point but it's ended as Sabalenka plants a backhand between the tramlines.

The Belarusian then hands the next two points to Rybakina as she struggles to cope with the Kazakh's big hitting.

Rybakina serves out the set, celebrating with an understated fist pump.

Pat Cash
Former Wimbledon champion on BBC Radio 5 Live

The second serve is causing Sabalenka a lot of problems. She is going to the forehand of Rybakina and hoping for a few free points and opening up the court.

But Rybakina breaks at the second time of asking as Sabalenka adds another double fault to her tally.

She's going for broke on the second serves and at the moment, it's a tactic that isn't working.

Rybakina will serve for the first set.

Image source, Getty Images