Aryna Sabalenka reaches Australian open final, eyes historic three-peat

Badosa’s first grand slam semi-final ends in defeat to top-seeded Sabalenka.

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Aryna Sabalenka powered into the Australian Open final on Thursday, overcoming Spain’s Paula Badosa 6-4, 6-2 in a commanding performance.

With the win, the Belarusian star moves closer to becoming the first woman in 26 years to clinch three consecutive Australian Open titles.

Despite an early setback where she trailed 2-0 in the first set, Sabalenka shifted gears to dominate the match, showcasing the form that has carried her to 20 consecutive victories at Melbourne Park.

Sabalenka’s win sets up a potential showdown in the final against either Iga Swiatek or Madison Keys.

If Swiatek joins her, it will mark the first Australian Open final featuring the top two seeds since 2018.

The semi-final saw a rare match-up between close friends, with Sabalenka previously describing Badosa as her “soulmate.”

Despite their bond, both players displayed steely focus throughout the encounter. A brief moment of camaraderie occurred in the second set when Badosa stumbled on court, prompting Sabalenka to offer a reassuring thumbs-up.

Badosa, competing in her first major semi-final, began strongly by breaking Sabalenka’s serve in the opening game.

However, unforced errors and crucial double faults ultimately handed Sabalenka control. The defending champion capitalised, firing 32 winners and securing victory in just under 90 minutes.

Saturday’s final carries high stakes for Sabalenka.

A victory would see her emulate Martina Hingis, the last player to win three consecutive Australian Open titles from 1997 to 1999.

Additionally, her world number one ranking is on the line, with Swiatek poised to reclaim the top spot if she wins both the semi-final and the championship.