The player who beat Zheng in the final 12 months ago, No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka, stretched her Melbourne Park winning streak to 16 matches as she eyes a third consecutive title, beating No. 54 Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-3, 7-5 at Rod Laver Arena.

A four-time Grand Slam champion, Osaka returned from maternity leave last year and lost in the first or second round of all four major tournaments. The 27-year-old Japan native has not won any event on the WTA Tour since capturing her second Australian Open title to start 2021.

In the Australian Open Round of 64 on Tuesday, we have a matchup featuring No. 51-ranked Naomi Osaka versus No. 20 Karolina Muchova.Muchova’s last competition was a win, 6-1, 6-3, over