Aryna Sabalenka has earned the right to fight for the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup for a third straight year.
The world No.1 brought her trademark intensity and firepower and was often unplayable during her 6-4 6-2 defeat of 11th seed Paula Badosa on Thursday night.
MORE: All the results from AO 2025
The two-time defending champion, playing as top seed in a Grand Slam for the first time, triumphed in one hour and 26 minutes at Rod Laver Arena to guarantee her place in Saturday night’s Australian Open 2025 women’s singles final.
With the victory, 26-year-old Sabalenka is the first player to reach three consecutive AO women’s singles finals since Serena Williams in 2017, and the youngest to do so since Martina Hingis in 2002.
She’s also just the third player in the past decade to notch a 20-match win streak at a single Grand Slam, joining Williams, who achieved the feat at the US Open and Wimbledon, and Iga Swiatek, who has done so at Roland Garros.
“I’m so proud of myself,” she said. “That was [a] super tough match against a friend,” said Sabalenka, who has won six of the pair’s eight meetings. “I hope she’s still my friend, I’m sure she’ll hate me for the next hour, day or two,” she grinned, offering to pay for the duo’s next shopping spree, caveating there'd be a limit.
Putting their close camaraderie aside, the pair – who have described each other as ‘soulmates’ - were all business from the first point.
A double fault from the 11th-seeded Spaniard gave Sabalenka a break point opportunity in the opening game, though Badosa fended it off with a booming 189 km/h serve out wide.
A shaky first service game from the top seed was welcomed by a steady Badosa, who secured the first break of the match only to immediately concede the advantage. Forced to five deuces in her next service game, Badosa saved a trio of break points before capitulating on the fourth as a relentless Sabalenka combined her slice and power to great effect, successfully moving her opponent forwards and backwards to capture the nearly 10-minute game.
The world No.1 consolidated that break as the match progressed under a closed roof, and although an undeterred Badosa, competing in her first major semifinal, hung tough, Sabalenka maintained her lead, sealing the set with her second ace of the match.
After holding serve in the opening game of the second, 27-year-old Badosa took a tumble but to the relief of 15,000 fans gave a thumbs up to indicate she was okay, drawing a smile from Sabalenka.
But that was quickly replaced by her game face. The three-time major champion gained a break courtesy of a double fault from Badosa, and extended her advantage to a double break with a searing forehand winner.
Serving for the match at 5-2, the formidable top seed closed it out to love in clinical fashion, pummelling another untouchable forehand into the open court.
Sabalenka's remarkable level is illustrated by her 32 winners and only 21 unforced errors, outshining Badosa’s 11 and 15, respectively. The right-hander won 77 per cent of first serve points during what commentator Andrea Petkovic, a former world No. 9, described on air as her best performance of AO 2025 so far.
If Sabalenka completes the three-peat, she'd become the first women's singles player to do so since Hingis in 1999 and join other legends to have accomplished that including Evonne Goolagong Cawley, Steffi Graf and Monica Seles. The world No. 1 is well aware of what's at stake.
"It's [a] privilege," she said. "If I'll be able to put my name in the history...it's going to mean the world for me."
"It's been a dream, I couldn't even dream about that to be honest, at first I was dreaming to win at least one Grand Slam [but] now I have this opportunity, it's incredible and I'm going to go out and leave everything I have [on court] in the final."
For the past couple of years, Sabalenka – currently on a 20-match winning streak on Rod Laver Arena – has felt truly comfortable at Melbourne Park. “I feel so good here, I feel all the support,” she said. “I have goosebumps every time they scream ‘Let's go Aryna.’
“I feel like I'm coming home to my home slam.”
Ahead of Saturday’s final against Madison Keys, Sabalenka said she’d been watching the American’s matches during AO 2025.
“She's playing incredible tennis … she's very aggressive player, serving well, moving well,” said Sabalenka, who owns a 4-1 win-loss record over the 19th seed.
“Going to be a great battle.”