Women's singles quarterfinal
Aryna Sabalenka served her way into a first Australian Open semifinal, battling past Donna Vekic 6-3 6-2 in a match far more complex than the scoreline indicates.
MORE: All the scores from AO 2023
DRAW: Australian Open 2023 women's singles
The fifth seed needed one hour and 49 minutes to seal the win on Rod Laver Arena.
"Here it feels really special to be in the semifinals," said Sabalenka. "I definitely love this place."
Sabalenka now faces the unseeded Magda Linette following the Pole's quarterfinal victory over Karolina Pliskova.
The build-up
Through to the final eight at Melbourne Park for the first time, both players were eager to extend their career-best AO campaigns.
Sabalenka had been unstoppable, starting the 2023 season in the form that earned her WTA Finals victories over Iga Swiatek, Ons Jabeur and Jessica Pegula. She became just the fourth woman in history to defeat the top three players in one event.
Coming into the match, the Adelaide International 1 champion hadn't dropped a set in eight matches.
Though she’d defeated Vekic just once in six attempts, that was unlikely to dent Sabalenka's self-belief as she pursued a fourth career Grand Slam semifinal spot.
Vekic, just the third Croatian woman to reach the AO quarterfinals, was aware of her opponent's momentum but enticed by the challenge.
"I've read, of course, on Twitter that she's playing maybe the best tennis on the women's side this Australian Open," said the 26-year-old.
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"I will try to take revenge for Belinda" she added, referring to Sabalenka's fourth-round win over her good friend, 12th seed Belinda Bencic.
Story of the match
As the sun beamed down on Rod Laver Arena, Vekic served a trio of double faults in her opening service game, sowing seeds of uncertainty that began to plague her each time she stepped up to the baseline.
The double faults seemed contagious across the net, although Sabalenka shook them off, letting out roars of "Come on!", channelling the tiger tattooed on her left forearm.
The fifth seed converted break point to gain a 3-1 early edge, although a misfired forehand gifted Vekic back the advantage. The pair found themselves in an uncomfortable tussle with any rhythm seemingly out of reach.
The more accomplished Sabalenka benefited from another pair of Vekic double faults en route to securing a critical break in the eighth game, and saw off a break point while serving for the set at 5-3.
The 24-year-old closed it out with a crisp overhead that Vekic deflected off court.
In the second set, Sabalenka's pace off both wings troubled her rival, who was often caught jamming short returns directly into her opponent's strike zone.
After an early break, Sabalenka lifted her intensity and, perhaps sensing a dip in Vekic's belief, snatched yet another and a 3-0 lead, punishing the Croat's 124 km/h second serve with a devastating backhand return down the line.
An untimely sixth double fault from Sabalenka enabled Vekic to break to love. Refusing to panic, the ever-aggressive 24-year-old dealt yet another blow with her trademark forehand to regain the double-break advantage and a 4-1 lead.
Serving for the match, the former world No.2 saved three break points before blasting a backhand that sailed long off Vekic's racquet.
"I'm super happy with the win," said Sabalenka. "Was a tough match…she's a great player and it's always tough to play against her."
"I think just because I was calm and I kind of expect this game from her, so I was able to stay in the game no matter what - I think this was the key."
Stats
Forty-seven per cent, or 38 of the 81 points Sabalenka won were winners – a remarkable statistic that she's maintained through her first five matches of the fortnight.
Despite an unwelcome nine double faults, the powerful baseliner was resilient on serve, saving 12 of 14 break points.
Her first serve percentage slipped to 56 per cent, marginally better than Vekic's 50 per cent.
Importantly, Sabalenka won 74 per cent of points against Vekic's second serve, eclipsing the Croat's 65 per cent success rate.
What this means for Sabalenka
For a place in the AO 2023 women's singles final, the fifth seed now faces Linette, who produced a stirring 6-3 7-5 upset of 30th seed Pliskova.
Sabalenka, a ten-time title-winner on hard courts, owns a 2-0 head-to-head advantage over the Pole.
What next for Vekic?
Vekic, the world No.64, will be boosted by her quarterfinal run after falling in the first round of AO 2022.
Coached by former world No.3 Pam Shriver and mentored by 1997 Roland Garros champion Iva Majoli, the Croat is poised to re-enter the top 40, a steep ascent from a low of No.112 last February.
It's the first time she's reached this stage of a major since the 2019 US Open and Vekic will aim to replicate this depth at marquee tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami, and at upcoming Grand Slams.