This is the first meeting between the two players.
This is the first meeting between the two players.
Teodora Kostovic, the young Serb, will serve first on Centre Court.
Sabalenka is too hot to handle for the young Serbian as she concedes her serve and then the Belarussian holds to take a 2-0 lead in the 1st set.
Sabalenka 2-0 Kostovic
Sabalenka is cruising in the 1st set against the young Kostovic at Centre Court. The World no.1 is having no issues at all against the young opponent and this should be a cakewalk.
Sabalenka 4-0 Kostovic
Aryna Sabalenka throws her head back in frustration. She can't believe her backhand drop shot has drifted into the tramlines.
She'd done so well to set up that point, dragging Teodora Kostovic all around the court.
Sabalenka is cruising at the centre court.
Leaving no stones unturned, she is proving why she is the No.1
Sabalenka 5-1 Kostovic
Aryna Sabalenka wins the first set 6-2 against Teodora Kostovic – the 19-year-old grew into the match after a tough start but she’ll have to really up her game to test the No 1 seed in the second set.
Sabalenka sends a backhand long and Kostovic, with the confidence of youth, gives it a wave as it sails beyond the baseline. The 19-year-old comes to the net to stroke a volley in that seals another hold for her, it’s 2-1 on serve in the second.
Aryna Sabalenka races through a hold to love. She's only given up six points on serve across the match.
Sabalenka 6-2 2-2 Kostovic
She gets very lucky with a drop shot that clips the net and dies on the other side of it at 15-15. Kostovic lets out her frustration as she sends a forehand long on the next point. The youngster saves the first break point but Sabalenka sends her packing by pouncing on a weak second serve.
It’s 6-2 5-2 to the No 1 seed.
The 19-year-old isn’t done yet – she beats Sabalenka down the line to clinch the game at 40-30 and flaps her hand at the crowd to ask for more noise. Sabalenka leads 6-2 5-3.
Kostovic’s second serves cost her again, with Sabalenka proving too powerful to go 40-15 up. An ace from the Serbian youngster just delays the inevitable before Sabalenka sends a forehand well inside the baseline and pinging off the backboard and lets out a ‘Let’s go!’.
She’ll face McCartney Kessler or Oleksandra Oliynykova (currently 6-0 4-0 on Court 5) in the next round.
McCartney Kessler cruised Oleksandra Oliynykova with a double bagel on Court 5.
She'll now face the World No. 1 in the Round 2.
That's A Wrap for today! Will meet soon for another Live Blog. Until then Bye-bye!