Underdog Bai Shocks Pavlyuchenkova to Advance at Australian Open

Chinese qualifier Bai Zhuoxuan saved match point in a dramatic third set tiebreak before edging Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to reach the second round of the Australian Open. The match unfolded as a classic underdog story, with Bai, ranked 702nd in the world, facing the 47th-ranked Pavlyuchenkova. The 23-year-old won the first set after the former world No.11 hit the net. However Pavlyuchenkova adjusted for the second, ramping up her serving power and aggressive baseline play to level the match with a 6-2 win. But Bai got the upperhand again when the French Open runner-up and four-time Australian Open quarterfinalist hit wide. A composed Bai held her nerve and sealed victory with a forehand down the line before slumping to the court in disbelief. The qualifier won 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 after a grueling 2-hour and 43-minute contest, claiming her first main draw win at Melbourne Park and becoming the first Chinese player to reach the second round of this year's tournament. Bai's triumph marks her second Grand Slam main draw victory following her 2023 Wimbledon breakthrough. Next up for her is top seed Aryna Sabalenka.