ALMOST 12 months after knocking off Top 10 talent Maria Sakkari at Melbourne Park aligned to Russia, now-Armenian aligned Elina Avanesyan produced an equally eye-catching performance with a three-set victory over former world number three and fourth seed, Paula Badosa to reach the third round of the Brisbane International.

A capable player with powerful ground strokes, Avanesyan does not always do it easily due to her consistency, but already twice this week the 22-year-old has found a way to win matches in three sets. Ranked 43rd at year’s end, Avanesyan heads into 2025 with the goal of rising up the rankings and a long-term vision of being world number one, and winning a Grand Slam title.

After defeating Rebecca Sramkova 1-6 6-2 6-2 on Sunday, Avanesyan got the job done over the 12th ranked Badosa, 6-3 1-6 6-2. She casts a relaxed figure on the court as she booked her spot into the Round of 16 at the WTA 500 event, admitting she does not feel the pressure.

“They’re all legends for me,” she said. “So, I have no pressure. I just go and just try to fight and give everything I have [and] try to do my best.”

Though admitting the “hot weather” was not her cup of tea when in Melbourne for the Australian Open, Avanesyan said she is a fan of exploring what the city has to offer.

“I love the atmosphere here,” she said. “I cannot say I love the [hot] weather, but I do love the courts, the people, the food. I like everything here. I think it’s one of the best Grand Slams for me.

“If it would be in Australia, in Melbourne, I would love to go to the Botanic Gardens. It’s so nice, I go there almost every time I come to Melbourne. I just have fun with my friends, walk, eat, drink, and just rest not thinking about tennis and just enjoy my time.”

In the victory over Badosa, Avanesyan won 47 per cent of his first serve points and saved 13 of 16 break points she faced to scrap with everything she had. Excluding a disappointing second set, Avanesyan was only broken once from 12 chances across the other two sets.

Next up is returning Tunisian Ons Jabeur a former world number two coming off a frustrating 2024 season. Jabeur booked her spot in the Round of 16 with a convincing 6-3 6-2 win over Russian 14th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova.

In another big upset, Latvian seventh seed Jelena Ostapenko fell to Czech Marie Bouzkova in straight sets 7-6 6-4, while fifth seed Diana Shnaider went down in three sets to the dangerous Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina, 6-3 4-6 6-1. American prospect Ashlyn Krueger took out another Russian seed in sixth seed Anna Kalinskaya, 6-3 6-3.

In more predictable results, world number one Aryna Sabalenka brushed past Mexican Renata Zarazua 6-4 6-0, to now face 15th seeded Yulia Putintseva in the Round of 16. Fifth seeded Mirra Andreeva stamped her ticket into the next round with a victory in the all-Russian battle against unseeded Anna Blinkova, 6-4 6-4.