Aryna Sabalenka vs Anastasia Potapova prediction, betting tips & odds, head-to-head, preview: Australian Open 2026
Anastasia Potapova stunned Emma Raducanu to eliminate the Brit No. 1 in the previous round.
Aryna Sabalenka continued her Australian Open 2026 charge with a commanding straight-sets victory over Bai Zhuoxuan, underlining why she remains the benchmark of the women’s draw.
Racing to an early lead with relentless power off both wings, the World No. 1 dictated play and kept points firmly on her terms, allowing her opponent little room to settle.
Although Sabalenka was briefly frustrated by lapses in concentration and Bai’s resistance in the opening set, she quickly reset and asserted her authority.
On the other hand, Anastasia Potapova produced one of the standout upsets of the tournament by knocking out 28th seed Emma Raducanu 7-6(3), 6-2 in the second round of the Australian Open.
After trailing for long spells in the opening set, Potapova showed remarkable composure and resilience, breaking back at a crucial moment before dominating the tiebreak to wrest control of the match.
Once momentum swung her way, Potapova never looked back. She exposed Raducanu’s forehand inconsistencies with relentless depth and court coverage, racing through the second set to seal her first Melbourne third-round appearance in several years.
Match details
- Tournament: Australian Open 2026
- Round: Third Round
- Date: January 23
- Venue: Melbourne, Australia
- Surface: Hard Court
Preview
Potapova has already produced a significant upset in the early rounds of the Australian Open and seeks for another heist against the competition’s undisputed favorite.
Coming on the back of a second-round defeat in Brisbane and first-round main-draw exit in Adelaide, the Austrian is a fearless striker who is enjoying excellent first-serve success.
Top seed Sabalenka though, has almost become immune to upsets. Having already triumphed in Brisbane, the Belarusian has proven time and again that she is a league of her own. She enters the third-round clash on the back of a flawless h2h record, against Potapova.
In both of their exchanges, Sabalenka has hardly broken a sweat, dropping just four games in Rome 2025 and three games in Stuttgart 2023. This is an indicator of what could potentially occur when they meet for a third time at the Melbourne Park.
Form
- Aryna Sabalenka: W-W-W-W-W
- Anastasia Potapova: W-W-L-L-W
Head-to-head record
- Matches: 2
- Aryna Sabalenka: 2
- Anastasia Potapova: 0
Stats
Aryna Sabalenka
- Sabalenka has a 7-0 win-loss record in the 2026 season
- Sabalenka has a 30-7 win-loss record at the Australian Open
- Sabalenka has won 74% of matches played on hard courts
Anastasia Potapova
- Potapova has a 3-2 win-loss record in the 2026 season
- Potapova has a 7-8 win-loss record at the Australian Open
- Potapova has won 53% of matches played on hard courts
Aryna Sabalenka vs Anastasia Potapova: Betting tips and odds
- Moneyline: Aryna Sabalenka -2000, Anastasia Potapova +1100
- Spread: Aryna Sabalenka -6.5 (-112), Anastasia Potapova +6.5 (-109)
- Total games: Over 18 (-111), Under 18.5 (-125)
- 1st set winner: Aryna Sabalenka -2000, Anastasia Potapova +1100
Match prediction
Sabalenka enters this third-round clash as the overwhelming favourite, and the matchup dynamics strongly tilt in her favour. The World No.1’s sheer baseline power, especially off the return, consistently rushes opponents and breaks down defensive structures early in rallies.
Against a player like Potapova, who prefers taking the ball on and playing first-strike tennis, Sabalenka’s depth and pace should significantly limit free points, forcing Potapova into low-margin shot-making over extended exchanges.
While Potapova’s confidence is boosted after her impressive upset of Emma Raducanu, Sabalenka’s flawless head-to-head record, combined with her proven ability to quickly correct lapses in focus, suggests she will absorb any early resistance and gradually assert control.
Result: Aryna Sabalenka will win in straight sets.
Where and how to watch live telecast and live streaming of Aryna Sabalenka vs Anastasia Potapova third-round match at Australian Open 2026?
The third-round clash will be available on Sony Sports Network on TV and its streaming service Sony Liv.
In the USA, the first Major of the year is being telecasted on the ESPN sports network and is being streamed on Fubo. In the UK, the match will be broadcast live on Eurosport. It will also be available for users on the Discovery+ app.
Full worldwide broadcast details here
Where and how to watch Aryna Sabalenka vs Anastasia Potapova third-round match at Australian Open 2026?
The match will be played at the Rod Laver Arena on January 23 (Friday). It is scheduled to begin at 11:30 am IST.
What is the head-to-head record between Aryna Sabalenka and Anastasia Potapova?
They have faced each other twice in the past, with the Belarusian winning both those meetings.
What happened in the previous clash between Aryna Sabalenka and Anastasia Potapova?
Their most recent meeting was at Rome last year, where Sabalenka won in straight sets 6-2, 6-2 in an opening round clash.
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Aniruddh Seshadri Iyer is a passionate sports journalist at Khel Now, specializing in tennis and Olympic sports. An engineer by training, he found his storytelling passion through iconic Grand Slam and Olympic moments. Known for sharp analysis and insightful coverage, he draws inspiration from Novak Djokovic’s resilience. Outside journalism, he enjoys reading, traveling, and playing the guitar.