Sabalenka Qualifies For 4th Consecutive Australian Open Final

Aryna Sabalenka recorded a 6-2 6-3 win over Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina on Thursday to qualify for a fourth consecutive Australian Open final.

The World number one is targeting a third title at Melbourne Park in four years, and fifth Grand Slam title overall.

She became the third woman in the professional era to reach the Australian Open decider four times in a row, following Evonne Goolagong Cawley (1971-76) and Martina Hingis (1997-2002), who each played six finals in a row.

Sabalenka endured a struggling start to give up two break points with a loose backhand, but blasted her way out of danger.

There was early tension at 2-1 when Svitolina was awarded a point mid-rally, with Sabalenka penalised for hindering ‌the point with a late push.

Sabalenka dropped the opening service game of the second set with a clutch of errors.

She fought back to win the third set while doing enough to emerge victorious to set up a final clash against Elena Rybakina at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday.

In the second semifinal on Thursday, Rybakina set up a rematch of the 2023 Australian Open women’s singles final with Sabalenka with a 6-3 7-6(7) Jessica Pegula.

She needed one hour and 40 minutes to eliminate Pegula.

Sabalenka has an 8-6 advantage in head-to-head meetings with Rybakina, the pair splitting their four meetings last year.

Rybakina won their most recent match at the season-ending WTA Finals in December.

Sabalenka opened up on her approach to tournaments in 2026 while looking forward to facing Rybakina.

She said: “Right now my mentality is like I’m ready to do whatever — [whoever] is going to be in that finals — I’m ready to go out there and fight with what I have and do everything I can.

“I think when I have this mentality, I play my best tennis, and I’m there, I’m fighting, I have my opportunities. So that’s my approach to the finals this season.

“I think her shots are heavy, deep, flat balls. It’s not easy to work with, but yeah, we have a great history. She’s an incredible player. We had a lot of great battles, a lot of finals we played. I’m looking forward to battle this power.”

No player on the WTA Tour boasts more wins than Rybakina since the end of Wimbledon last year (37), with the only defeat in her past 20 matches coming against Karolina Muchova in Brisbane earlier this month.

Sabalenka has won 22 WTA Tour-level singles titles, including four majors – two each at the Australian Open and the US Open – as well as nine WTA 1000 events.

She has also won six doubles titles, including the 2019 US Open and 2021 Australian Open, both with Elise Mertens.