Australian Open: Sabalenka routs Svitolina; to play Rybakina in final

Melbourne: Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina will face each other in a rematch of the Australian Open summit clash from three years ago as both players won their respective semifinals in straight sets in Melbourne on Thursday.

World No. 1 Sabalenka reached her fourth straight final at the first Slam of the season with a commanding 6-2, 6-3 victory over 12th-seeded Ukrainian Elina Svitolina. Sabalenka’s title in 2023, her maiden Major, came after a thrilling three-set win over Rybakina in the final. In 2024, she took down China’s Qinwen Zheng in a one-sided clash to defend her crown. However, she was stunned by USA’s Madison Keys in last year’s final.

Rybakina, the fifth-seeded Kazakh, beat sixth-seeded American Jessica Pegula 6-3, 7-6(7) to reach the third Major final of her career. She won her only Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2022.

Sabalenka was in complete control from the start and needed just over an hour to seal her place in the final. This is the fourth consecutive time she will play in the Australian Open final.

The Belarusian used her power and strong serving to keep Svitolina under constant pressure and did not give a single chance of a comeback as she marched closer towards her third Australian Open title.

Sabalenka won 67 per cent of her points on the first serve and also won 79 per cent on the second serve, showing the one-sided nature of the match.

Svitolina struggled to match Sabalenka’s pace and consistency. The Ukrainian won just 56 per cent of points on her first serve and 50 per cent on her second. She also committed three double faults during the match.

The top seed converted four of her seven break-point chances, while allowing Svitolina only one break from four opportunities. Sabalenka also edged her opponent in total points won. The two-time champion won 65 points as compared to the 46 won by Svitolina.

“An incredible achievement, but the job is not done yet,” said Sabalenka on the court after the match.

“Super happy with the win. She is such a tough opponent. I have been watching her game. She played incredibly throughout the tournament, and I felt like I had to step in and put as much pressure as I could back on her, and I am glad the level was there today. I played great tennis and am happy to get the win in straight sets,” she added.

On the other hand, the fifth seed Rybakina reached her third career Grand Slam final, and her first since 2023, by withstanding a fierce late surge from Pegula, saving two set points in a tense second-set tiebreak to close out the match in just over two hours.

Rybakina appeared in control early, dictating play with her serve and first-strike power to take the opening set. Serving at 5-3, she brushed aside a brief wobble with a series of heavy deliveries, repeatedly pushing Pegula behind the baseline. A moment of resistance came when Pegula erased one set point with a stunning backhand winner, but Rybakina quickly shut the door, finishing the set with a body serve followed by a clean forehand strike to secure it 6-3.

The second set unfolded as a far more dramatic contest. Pegula, seeking to become the first woman in the Open Era to reach her first two Grand Slam finals after turning 30, refused to fade. Down 5-3 and facing three match points on her own serve, the 2024 US Open runner-up dug deep, holding serve before breaking Rybakina twice as the Kazakhstani attempted to close out the match at both 5-4 and 6-5.

That resilience forced a tiebreak filled with momentum swings and extended rallies. Pegula struck first, winning a gruelling 19-shot exchange to set the tone, but Rybakina answered with clutch serving, firing aces at key moments to stay level. Neither player could create separation as mini-breaks were exchanged and tension mounted.

At 7-7, Rybakina found her breakthrough. A pair of aggressive returns pressured Pegula’s second serve, setting up match point. She sealed it emphatically, ripping a backhand down the line from well outside the sideline to end the contest and spark a roar from the Melbourne crowd. Agencies

Also Read: Ranji Trophy: Mohit Avasthi’s five-for helps Mumbai bowl out Delhi for 221