Aryna Sabalenka and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova demonstrated that the destination is more important than the journey after navigating past tricky seeded opponents in contrasting fashion to set up an Australian Open 2025 quarterfinal showdown.
Sabalenka, the determined world No.1, needed just 62 minutes to dispatch teenager Mirra Andreeva 6-1 6-2 on Sunday, six minutes faster than the time taken by Pavlyuchenkova to secure the opening set against Donna Vekic.
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Pavlyuchenkova ultimately upset the 18th seed 7-6(0) 6-0, a result accelerated after her oppontent sustained a right knee injury.
At 33, the 27th seed is a little surprised at her staying power, though the oldest remaining women’s singles titles contender says she feels strong physically.
If Pavlyuchenkova, who earned a fourth last-eight appearance in Melbourne Park following runs in 2017, 2019 and 2020, is fresher, it’s due to self-care. The powerful ball-striker opted out of women’s doubles for only the second time since 2009 and took a less intense approach to the pre-season in order to preserve energy and magnify her motivation and focus on the season itself.
“Too old but still here!” she wrote on the camera lens after defeating Vekic. The right-hander was just 14 when she defeated Caroline Wozniacki to win the AO 2006 girls’ singles title. Nineteen years later, she remains in the mix at what is her 63rd Grand Slam as a professional.
“My reaction obviously is not as good as it used to be,” admitted the 2021 Roland Garros finalist.
“I think the level is so good, it’s so, so high now and everybody is so much younger than me and I sometimes doubt myself or think maybe I’m not good enough to continue,” she said. “They serve so good and they’re so tall,” she added, naming Sabalenka in the cohort of players that are setting the bar in women’s tennis.
“She hits the ball so well, so powerful - not many girls [are] able to do that,” she said.
Perhaps not many, but Pavlyuchenkova knows at least one who can hang with the world No.1. “I also hit the ball hard,” she laughed, admitting that a key to Tuesday’s clash will be looking after her own serve.
To be sure, Sabalenka is in ominous form. The two-time defending champion dropped a mere three games against Andreeva, the 14th seed, and won 78 per cent of first serve points, clocking her fastest serve so far this week at 190 km/h, just 4 km/h behind tournament leader Coco Gauff.
The 26-year-old fended off the only three break points she faced to hold for 4-2 in the second set and from there, conceded just two points to her younger rival before racing to the finish line.
“It’s always tough matches against Mirra, she’s so young but so mature and playing such great tennis,” she said, having extended her head-to-head record over the 17-year-old to 4-1. “I’m super happy, of course, to get through this difficult match in straight sets.”
The victory marks her 18th straight win at Rod Laver Arena, matching the longest winning streak by a women's singles player on the iconic court since Martina Hingis defeated Monica Seles in the AO 1999 semifinals.
READ: At Rod Laver, Aryna Sabalenka surpasses Steffi Graf
Sabalenka, who hasn’t lost a set this fortnight, took a beat to adjust to the livelier court amid the warm conditions, and then quickly embraced it. “I was just trying to put the ball back, and the ball was flying like a rocket,” she said. “I hope it’s going to be the same ‘til the end of the tournament and it’s going to help me the same way.”
The three-time major champion’s growing fan base has been rocking tiger-themed apparel at Melbourne Park, inspired by their heroine’s tattoo and shoelaces, and Sabalenka said she’s grateful to be in a position to be a role model to others.
“[My] whole life I wanted to be an inspiration for the next generation,” she said. “I wanted to be a good example of a hard worker, of a fighter and I wanted to inspire maybe not only the next generation but help people go through tough moments.”
“I hope that they look at me, they see my example, they know how tough I had to battle some of the challenges and I went through it and I hope they’re going to take it as a good example and going to go through their challenges,” said Sabalenka, who unexpectedly lost her father to meningitis in 2019.
On Monday, she’ll take on Pavlyuchenkova – and isn't giving any weight to the fact she has a losing record against the 27th seed.
“Every match is [a] new opportunity, it’s a new game,” said Sabalenka, whose mental fortitude has enabled her to quash self-doubts. “It's about staying in the moment and focusing on myself… I know that if I'll be able to bring my best game, I know that I can get the win.”
“I'm just going to go there and fight.”
Pavlyuchenkova, too, is ready for the contest, and the Dubai resident may hit with more freedom than the two-time defending champion.
“I have zero pressure this tournament whatsoever,” she said.