Aryna Sabalenka dominates Svitolina 6/2 and 6/3 and reaches her fourth consecutive Australian Open final By Bruna
5 min read
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Aryna Sabalenka, number 1 in the world, defeated Elina Svitolina by 6/2 and 6/3 this Thursday in Melbourne. The match, held at Rod Laver Arena, lasted 1 hour and 16 minutes. The Belarusian advanced to her fourth consecutive final at Aberto from Austrália.
The tennis player maintained the high level displayed throughout the tournament. Ela will face the winner of the clash between Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina in Saturday’s decision.
Sabalenka is seeking her third tournament title in four years. Ela won the 2023 and 2024 editions.
Match details
Sabalenka controlled the actions from the beginning of the confrontation. Ela broke Svitolina’s serve twice in the first set and closed at 6/2.
The Belarusian recorded 29 winners throughout the game. Svitolina finished with just 12 winning balls.
An episode marked the beginning of the second set. Sabalenka received a penalty for obstruction due to prolonged grunting.
The referee considered that the sound disturbed Svitolina’s bid. The decision was upheld after review.
Sabalenka immediately reacted to the penalty. Ela won the next game and maintained the advantage until the end.
Sabalenka’s performance in the tournament
The number 1 in the ranking reached the semifinals without losing sets. Este feat occurred for the first time in 56 years on Aberto of Austrália.
Sabalenka builds up a winning streak this season. Ela won preparatory tournaments before Melbourne.
The Belarusian equals historic marks at Era Aberta. Apenas Evonne Goolagong and Martina Hingis reached four straight finals in the tournament.
- Serve breaks performed by Sabalenka: 4
- Svitolina Unforced Errors: 22
- Points won on first serve by Sabalenka: 78%
- Consecutive games won in the second set: 5
Svitolina’s trajectory to the semi-final
Svitolina eliminated high-level opponents along the way. Ela beat Mirra Andreeva in the fourth round. The Ukrainian dominated Coco Gauff in the quarterfinals. The victory guaranteed his return to the top 10 of the rankings.
Svitolina was playing in her first semi-final in Melbourne. Ela has four semis in Grand Slams in total. The tennis player returned to the circuit after a maternity break in 2022. Ela also took time off to take care of her mental health in 2025.
Svitolina won the title in Auckland at the beginning of the season. The trophy marked his good moment before the Aberto of the Austrália.
Statements after the confrontation
Sabalenka highlighted the importance of maintaining pressure on the opponent. Ela praised the level presented by Svitolina during the tournament.
The Belarusian stated that she needed to be focused from the first point. The objective was to avoid giving the Ukrainian pace. Svitolina recognized the superiority of the number 1 in the world. Ela found it difficult to compete against a player in great form.
The Ukrainian valued the two positive weeks at Austrália and Nova Zelândia. Returning to the top 10 represents a personal achievement.
History of Sabalenka on Melbourne
Sabalenka won the title in 2023 by defeating Elena Rybakina in the final. Ela repeated the feat in 2024.
The Belarusian lost the 2025 decider to Madison Keys. Agora seeks the third championship in four editions.
The tennis player has accumulated 383 victories in her professional career. Melbourne represents your most successful tournament in Grand Slams.
Sabalenka has 22 singles titles on the WTA circuit. Quatro of them are from Majors. Ela has also won nine WTA 1000 tournaments. Consistency keeps her at the top of the rankings.
Next challenge in the final
The women’s final takes place on Saturday at Melbourne. The local time will be determined after the other semi-final.
Jessica Pegula faces Elena Rybakina in the second duel of the semis. Ambas also haven’t lost sets so far. Rybakina was runner-up in 2023 against Sabalenka. Pegula seeks its first Grand Slam final.
Sabalenka maintains focus regardless of her opponent. Ela prioritizes maintaining the standard of play shown in previous rounds. The Belarusian trained intensely after the victory. The objective is to adjust details for the decision.
Context of the women’s tournament
The Aberto of Austrália 2026 recorded semi-finals that were unprecedented in quality. Todas the four players arrived without giving up sets.
This feat had not occurred since 1970 in the tournament. The competitiveness raised the level of the matches.
The absence of handshakes marked the duel. Jogadores of Ucrânia have avoided gestures towards Russians and Belarusians since the conflict.
Svitolina follows the protocol adopted by Ukrainian tennis players. The measure reflects the political position in the circuit.
Sabalenka’s career numbers
Sabalenka has built up an impressive streak in recent Majors. Ela has reached at least semi-finals in recent tournaments.
The Belarusian has six doubles titles. Dois of them were in Aberto of Austrália next to Elise Mertens.
- Grand Slam finals played: 7
- Titles of Major in simple: 4
- Wins in Melbourne since 2023: 26
- Accumulated career awards: more than 30 million dollars
The tennis player has evolved in emotional control in recent years. Treinadores highlight maturity on the court.
Sabalenka has been working with a permanent team for seasons. Stability contributes to consistent results.
Return of Svitolina to the top
Svitolina reached third place in the ranking in 2019. Motherhood interrupted her upward trajectory. The Ukrainian gave birth in 2022. The gradual return included title in Auckland this year.
The semi-final in Melbourne represents the best result in the tournament. Ela had stopped in the quarterfinals in previous editions.
Svitolina plans to maintain momentum throughout the season. The calendar includes tournaments on América from Norte in March.
Expectation for the decision
Melbourne hosts women’s final with Sabalenka as favorite. The Belarusian defends the high ranking achieved. Torcedores locations are awaiting definition from the opponent. Rod Laver Arena should be packed on Saturday.
Broadcast occurs on global sports channels. Horário location of Melbourne defines the start of the match. Sabalenka enters as a candidate for the third championship. Consistent performance reinforces favoritism.
