Back-to-back misses from Aryna Sabalenka see Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova through. It's all square on Rod Laver Arena.

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Aryna Sabalenka throws her head back after her drop shot sets Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova up perfectly to slam a winner back at the net.

The Russian goes big with the cross-court backhand on the next point, but Sabalenka is there to tidy up and sweep a forehand into the empty court left behind. 30-15.

Here comes Aryna Sabalenka...

After failing to hold serve since the first game of the second set, the defending champion eventually gets there with a easy-peasy love hold. She desperately needed that.

It turns out Aryna Sabalenka doesn't need to do much at all. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova does the hard work for her, pushing into the net.

The Russian 27th seed fell apart a bit there. Could that be the momentum shift Sabalenka needs?

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova leaves the door open for Aryna Sabalenka at 0-30 after miscuing the overhead and slamming it wide.

And then a double fault! Three break points for Sabalenka.

She needs to make the most of one of these.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova can't get the first break point, but she attacks Aryna Sabalenka's next serve brilliantly - sending it straight into the defending champion's body and catching her off guard.

Ryan Harrison
Former American tennis player on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

Just when Aryna Sabalenka needed it most, she has stepped up and found some of her best level.

She was resilient and I love the way she exerted her energy on the points that she won.

You could tell the tension was rising in her but she only let it out after the points that she won, and that's what you need to do when you are an emotional player.

Aryna Sabalenka is not happy. She's been rattled by Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and it shows as the top seed takes ages over her serve - only to double fault.

And, all of a sudden, Pavlyuchenkova has three break points.

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She gets it! Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova nets and swats away a ball in frustration.

That is a big win for Aryna Sabalenka, who is just about hanging on here.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova plants into the net and Aryna Sabalenka has got herself a chance to break back.

Aryna Sabalenka doesn't even wait for the ball to land before she trudges to the back of the court. That was a wild mis-hit.

But she comes up with a backhand winner down the line and we go to deuce again.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova can't back up the break just yet, missing again to bring us back to deuce.

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I don't know what Aryna Sabalenka shouted there as Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova misses, but it was loud.

Deuce.

Ryan Harrison
Former American tennis player on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

Well this is territory Sabalenka hasn't been in for quite some time on court here at Rod Laver Arena!

You can tell that Pavlyuchenkova is feeling confident from the amount of winners she has been hitting. She has been confidently striking the ball big.

Aryna Sabalenka is still going for the wonder shot and it's not paying off at the moment as that one misses its mark.

That's good defending from the world number one though as she pulls level at 30-30.

But Sabalenka can't do anything about that as Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova takes charge of the rally and ends it with a fierce forehand.

Aryna Sabalenka saves the first break point with a forehand down the line, but she can't save the next.

That's a bad miss for the reigning champion, and she knows it as she swipes her racquet through the air angrily.

The net has not been Aryna Sabalenka's friend today. She plants another ball into it before Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova rallies and brings up two break points with a brilliant volley.

A change of outfits for Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. She has switched out the white dress for a light purple one.

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Aryna Sabalenka is the first to return after taking an off-court break and she walks straight to the baseline as she awaits Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova's return.

The defending champion is ready.

That was the first set Aryna Sabalenka has lost at the Australian Open since the 2023 final.

She had been on a 22-set unbeaten run up until a couple of minutes ago.