Organisers said Tsurenko cited “personal reasons” for yet another withdrawal.

No further details were given, and there was no indication that the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year – which has resulted in Russian and Belarusian tennis players from being barred from competing under their national flags – was a factor.

Indeed, Tsurenko has now lost by retirement or walkover in nine of her 18 tournaments dating back to Indian Wells last year.

She gave up a semifinal walkover at Canberra this year and gave up quarterfinal walkovers at Eastbourne and Portoroz, Slovenia, last year.

Sabalenka, whose first Grand Slam title in Melbourne was part of a perfect 13-0 start to the year that ended in the quarterfinals at Dubai, had breezed into the third round with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Evgeniya Rodina.

She next faces former French Open winner Barbora Krejcikova, who ousted China’s Wang Xinyu 6-2, 6-7 (1/7), 6-2.

Krejcikova beat the top three players in the world on the way to the title in Dubai last month, climbing 14 places in the WTA rankings to 16th.