Aryna Sabalenka is becoming a familiar face in Australian Open women’s singles finals.
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The two-time champion will battle for the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup in Saturday’s title match, earning a berth in her fourth consecutive AO final with a resounding 6-2 6-3 semifinal victory over 12th seed Elina Svitolina.
The top seed took one hour and 16 minutes to secure victory in the first of two women’s semifinals at Rod Laver Arena on Thursday night.
Sabalenka is just the third player in the Open Era to reach four consecutive women’s singles finals at the Australian Open after Evonne Goolagong, who competed in seven finals between 1971 and 1977, and Martina Hingis, who appeared in six finals between 1997 and 2002.
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Sabalenka, an AO 2025 finalist, was at her aggressive best on Thursday. She struck 29 winners during the match, lifting her tournament-leading tally to 172.
By triumphing over Svitolina, the world No.1 earned her eighth career Grand Slam final berth.
“An incredible achievement, but the job’s not done yet,” Sabalenka said.
“Super happy with the win, she’s such a tough opponent, was playing really incredible tennis throughout the whole week and just super happy to be through this tough match.”
The powerful right-hander said she’d watched Svitolina progress through the AO 2026 draw, adding that the Ukrainian’s notable upsets over third seed Coco Gauff and eighth seed Mirra Andreeva helped her formulate a game plan.
“I’ve been watching her game, she was playing incredible against Mirra, against Coco, overall throughout the tournament,” Sabalenka said.
“I felt like I had to step in and put as much pressure as I could back on her, and I’m glad that the level was there today. I played great tennis and happy to get the win in straight sets.”
Sabalenka, 27, and Svitolina entered the clash as arguably the two most in-form players of the season, having hoisted trophies at the Brisbane International and Auckland’s ASB Classic respectively, and earned their AO semifinal berths without surrendering a set.
Under pressure within minutes after a pair of early unforced errors, the top seed saved two break points in her opening service game before producing a pair of scorching forehand winners to hold.
Later, after holding for a 2-1 lead, Sabalenka lost the opening point of the fourth game when chair umpire Louise Azemar Engzell ruled that a noise made by the top seed after striking a forehand she thought was flying long to be a hindrance.
The call was upheld after a video review and Sabalenka, fuelled with additional motivation, earned her first break of the match with a cross-court forehand that drew an error from her talented rival. The four-time major champion then consolidated for a 4-1 lead.
After the match, Sabalenka reiterated her belief that the chair umpire made the wrong call.
“She really - how do I say in a nice way - she really pissed me off, and it's actually help[ed] me and benefit my game. I was more aggressive. I was not happy with the call, and it really helped me to get that game,” she said.
The world No.1 had an opportunity to snare a double break but was denied by Svitolina, who strategically fired a 144km/h second serve into Sabalenka’s body, effectively jamming the powerful right-hander.
But on return, the 12th seed, supported a team that includes her husband and two-time AO men’s singles quarterfinalist Gael Monfils, had little success disrupting Sabalenka’s rhythm.
Serving to stay in the set at 2-5, Svitolina saved two set points before Sabalenka produced a stunning backhand cross-court winner to capture the set.
The second set began much like the first, Sabalenka facing jeopardy in her opening service game. This time, Svitolina earned her first break of the match when her rival sent a backhand sailing over the baseline.
After exchanging love-holds, a determined Sabalenka stepped up her intensity on return, cracking thunderous groundstrokes off both wings to break back.
The world No.1 won her third game in a row with a 100-second hold and, returning at 3-2, drew Svitolina into a rally of the highest quality with ferocious ball-striking before earning another break point, courtesy of a double fault from the Ukrainian.
The top seed, oozing with confidence from the baseline, unleashed a backhand winner to convert it.
Svitolina had an opportunity to break back in the seventh game, but was denied when Sabalenka whipped yet another forehand winner down the line.
The Ukrainian star successfully served to stay in the match, putting the match on Sabalenka’s racquet at 5-3. Unflinching in resolve, the steely top seed sealed victory with a clinical cross-court forehand winner, her 29th of the match.
In Saturday’s final, Sabalenka will face fifth seed Elena Rybakina in a rematch of the AO 2023 women’s final.
“I think her shots are heavy deep, flat balls. It's not easy to work with, but yeah, we have a great history, she's incredible player,” Sabalenka said.
“We had a lot of great battles, a lot of finals we played … I'm looking forward to battle this power.”
The world No.1 has an 8-6 head-to-head advantage over her Kazakh rival, but the 26-year-old Rybakina won their most recent battle, the title match of November’s season-ending WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia, in straight sets.