Aryna Sabalenka powered her way into a fourth consecutive Australian Open final with a commanding straight-sets win over Elina Svitolina, setting up a familiar title clash against Elena Rybakina at Melbourne Park.
World number one Sabalenka brushed aside the Ukrainian 6-2, 6-3 in a semi-final played amid clear geopolitical undertones, underlining her dominance at a venue that has become her most successful hunting ground. The top seed will now chase a third Australian Open crown in four years and a fifth Grand Slam title overall.
Earlier, fifth seed Rybakina booked her place in the final by defeating American Jessica Pegula 6-3, 7-6(7), sealing a rematch of the 2023 Australian Open decider. The Russian-born Kazakh, who won Wimbledon in 2022, is bidding for her second major title.
“I just can’t believe it. It’s an incredible achievement, but the job is not done yet,” Sabalenka said after her win. “I’m super happy with the performance. She’s such a tough opponent and has been playing great tennis all week.”
Sabalenka’s victory carried added weight given the political backdrop. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 — with Belarus acting as a staging ground — players from Russia and Belarus have been barred from representing their countries at Grand Slams. Svitolina has often spoken about the emotional strain of competing against players from those nations and said she hoped to bring some “light” for Ukraine at this tournament.
However, Sabalenka’s relentless power quickly extinguished those hopes. Despite early resistance from Svitolina, including a spirited start and moments of tension following a hindrance call against Sabalenka, the Belarusian responded emphatically. She broke serve to take control of the first set and never allowed the match to slip from her grasp.
The win placed Sabalenka in rare company, making her only the third woman in the professional era to reach four consecutive Australian Open finals, after Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Martina Hingis.
Rybakina, meanwhile, showcased her trademark heavy hitting against Pegula in the night session on Rod Laver Arena. She dictated the opening set with ease before being pushed hard in the second. Pegula saved three match points and forced a tie-break, but Rybakina held her nerve to close out the contest and confirm a 15th career meeting with Sabalenka.
The final promises another high-quality chapter in a growing rivalry, with Sabalenka seeking to reassert her authority in Melbourne and Rybakina aiming to repeat her 2023 success on the sport’s biggest January stage.
