Melbourne: World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka once again proved her championship pedigree, overcoming a spirited challenge from teenage sensation Iva Jovic before cruising into her fourth consecutive Australian Open semifinal with a 6-3, 6-0 victory on Tuesday.
Playing under searing Melbourne heat on Rod Laver Arena, the two-time defending champion absorbed early pressure from the fearless 18-year-old American before asserting complete control in the second set to seal the match in just under 90 minutes.
Sabalenka will next face either third seed Coco Gauff or 12th seed Elina Svitolina for a place in the final.
The opening set was far more competitive than the scoreline suggested. Sabalenka raced to a 3-0 lead, but Jovic—fresh off her maiden Top 10 win and playing her first Grand Slam quarterfinal—showed remarkable resilience. She battled through long service games, including an 11-minute final game featuring five deuces, three break points and three set points.
Ultimately, Sabalenka’s power and precision told. A blistering backhand winner—her 21st of the set—closed out the opener after exactly one hour of play.
From there, the Belarusian raised her level further. She stepped inside the baseline, applied relentless pressure, and handed Jovic a second-set bagel, punctuating the performance with her seventh ace to close the match.
“She’s a young, great player,” Sabalenka said afterward. “She’s hungry and keeps fighting no matter the score. I knew I had to put even more pressure on her in the second set.”
Despite the loss, Jovic leaves Melbourne with her reputation soaring after a breakthrough run that included wins over Jasmine Paolini and Yulia Putintseva.
With the victory, Sabalenka reached the 14th Grand Slam semifinal of her career and became just the third top seed in the past decade to reach the Australian Open semifinals without dropping a set—joining Serena Williams (2016) and Ashleigh Barty (2022).
As the title defense continues, Sabalenka remains firmly on course for a historic Melbourne hat-trick.
Source: WTA
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