The world No.1 smashed her racquet and covered her face with a towel and sobbed after losing to American Madison Keys in the final at Melbourne Park in January.
The Belarusian suffered early exits at the Qatar Open and in Dubai since, but was in full command of her formidable serve on Saturday (Sunday AEDT), never facing a break point as she overpowered talented American McCartney Kessler 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 in the California desert.
"I'd say that after the final in Australia I was really heartbroken," Sabalenka told reporters.
"It was very difficult to recover after that one, and Middle East I was kind of like, in my thoughts, I was trying to understand.
"I was always thinking about that match. It was probably my mistake, but I think I had to go through it, I had to realise couple of things.
"I had to step back and start everything over again. Right now, I'm definitely feeling better and that final was in the past," she added with a smile.
Sabalenka faces unseeded Italian Lucia Bronzetti in the third round on Monday.
There was no joy for Kim Birrell on Saturday, the last Australian in the women's draw losing to Belgian 28th seed Elise Mertens.
Birrell showed plenty of fight but just couldn't find her way past Mertens, the veteran clinching the match 6-4 7-5.
Meanwhile, Australian Open champion Keys crushed Anastasia Potapova 6-3 6-0 in her first match as a grand slam champion.
Keys had to wait a few weeks shy of her 30th birthday before finally joining that exclusive club in Melbourne, and that success seems to have energised her.
The American broke Russian Potapova's serve for a third time to clinch the first set and rolled through the one-sided second set to extend her winning streak to 13 matches.
"I'm so happy to be here," Keys said on centre court.
"Australia was obviously an amazing moment, so it's really nice to be playing at home for my first tournament back at a place I've played at so many times in front of some amazing people."
Next up for world No.5 Keys is a third-round meeting with Mertens.
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