World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka delivered a ruthless display to defeat Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-3 in the Australian Open women’s singles semifinal, booking her place in a fourth consecutive final in Melbourne.
The match carried heavy political undertones due to the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war and Belarus’ alignment with Moscow. In line with previous encounters involving Ukrainian players, there was no post-match handshake — a decision announced to fans beforehand, with spectators urged to respect the stance.
Sabalenka, seeded No. 1, controlled the contest with her trademark power and aggression, breaking early and dictating play from the baseline. The first set was wrapped up in just 41 minutes, highlighting her dominance.
A flashpoint arrived in the fourth game when Sabalenka was penalised for hindrance due to grunting, prompting a video review, crowd boos, and visible irritation. However, she quickly regrouped, breaking serve for a 3-1 lead and surging ahead.
Svitolina mounted a brief challenge in the second set, breaking Sabalenka to lead 2-0, but the Belarusian responded emphatically, winning five straight games to seize full control and close out the match.
Beyond the scoreboard, the moment carried historical weight — the loss denied Svitolina the chance to become the first Ukrainian woman to reach a Grand Slam singles final in the Open Era.
An emotional Sabalenka reflected on her journey after the match, saying:
“I’m super happy with the win. She’s a really tough opponent… but the job is not done yet.”
She has made it clear that reclaiming the Australian Open crown remains her top priority, famously describing her mindset as “trophy or nothing.”
Sabalenka now advances to face Elena Rybakina or Jessica Pegula in the final, as she chases her third Australian Open title and further cements her dominance on hard courts.
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