Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka labeled Friday's 6-0, 6-0 annihilation of Lesia Tsurenko at the Australian Open as "perfection" but asserted she could further improve, sending a chilling warning to her rivals.
The Belarusian world number two has conceded only six games in her three matches at the tournament thus far.
The 25-year-old, who clinched her inaugural Grand Slam crown in Melbourne last year, aims to become the first woman to defend the title since compatriot Victoria Azarenka achieved the feat in 2013.
Wearing vivid red, Sabalenka exuded determination from the onset against the Ukrainian 28th seed on Rod Laver Arena, cruising to victory in just 52 minutes.
"I think today's performance was really, yeah, perfection," she said. "I'm happy with the level I played today."
However, she added, "There is always something to improve, you know. That's why you just can't be happy with the level you are at right now, so you always have to keep moving, keep improving."
No handshakes
Sabalenka was last slated to face the Ukrainian at Indian Wells last year, but Tsurenko withdrew after experiencing a panic attack while discussing tennis's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine with officials.
Belarus was used as a staging ground for the invasion.
Reigning champion and second seed Sabalenka is playing at Melbourne Park without an official national affiliation, following conditions imposed on Russian and Belarusian players by tournament organizers since the invasion.
The match itself was a one-sided affair played out in a subdued atmosphere on Rod Laver Arena as Sabalenka ruthlessly handed the 28th seed Tsurenko the dreaded "double bagel" in 52 minutes.
There was no traditional handshake over the net at the end of the match, with the players merely acknowledging each other with a wave before heading off court.
"This situation has been happening for a long time on tour, and I understand and respect everyone's position," said Sabalenka.
"She was quite respectful. She said, 'great play.' She didn't shake my hand, but she was respectful to me, so I appreciate that."
Tsurenko said she would continue not to shake the hands of Russian and Belarusian players to highlight the ongoing plight of the people of Ukraine as the second anniversary of the invasion approaches.
Seeds crash
The draw is opening up for Sabalenka, with third seed Elena Rybakina, fifth seed Jessica Pegula, and sixth seed Ons Jabeur already ousted, but she cautioned against complacency.
"Listen, it's tennis," she said. "As we see with some of the top players losing in the earlier matches, anything can happen."
Tsurenko had no answer to Sabalenka's devastating power and could muster only a paltry 11 points in the first set compared to Sabalenka's 27.
It was a similar story in the second set.
Tsurenko had two points to get on the board in the second game on her own serve, but Sabalenka slammed the door shut to break again.
She did not let up, smashing 10 winners past her hapless opponent in the set, sealing victory by breaking for the third time when Tsurenko dumped a forehand into the net.
Sabalenka enjoyed a breakthrough in 2023. In addition to winning the Australian Open, she made the semi-finals in Paris and at Wimbledon before losing to Coco Gauff in the US Open final.
No player will fancy taking her on in Melbourne, where she is yet to be remotely tested.
She breezed past German qualifier Ella Seidel in the first round, losing just one game, and romped home 6-3, 6-2 against 16-year-old Brenda Fruhvirtova in the second round.
She has been on court for less than three hours over her three matches.
In sharp contrast, top seed Iga Swiatek has already been in action for more than five hours over just two rounds.
In the fourth round, Sabalenka will face unseeded American Amanda Anisimova, playing her first Grand Slam since taking an eight-month mental health break.
"First of all, I'm happy that she's back on tour," Sabalenka said of Anisimova, against whom she has a 4-1 losing record.
"Secondly, we had a lot of great matches against each other, always tough battles.
"I'm happy that my first week was not simple, but it wasn't, like, super-long matches. Yeah, the first week is past. You know, like now it's time to focus on the next week."