Aryna Sabalenka will face Elena Rybakina in the final of the Australian Open after overcoming unseeded Magda Linett 7-6 (7/1), 6-2 in the semi-finals played in wintry conditions at Rod Laver Arena on Thursday . Fifth seed Sabalenka’s first Grand Slam final will be against the reigning Wimbledon champion, who earlier defeated Victoria Azarenka in straight sets. “I am very happy, very happy that I could get this win,” said the Belarusian, who is hoping to play compatriot Azarenka in Saturday’s showpiece.
“Magda is an incredible player. She played really great tennis,” added the 24-year-old.
Sabalenka came into the match as many observers’ favorite for the Melbourne crown, but had never won a Grand Slam semifinal in three previous attempts.
She led world number one Iga Swiatek 4–2 in the third set of their US Open semi-final in September, before suffering a spectacular meltdown where she dropped 16 of her last 20 points.
That kind of mental baggage always lurks in tennis, especially for someone as emotional as Sabalenka, who has admitted to being whacked by nerves in the past.
But the world number five has been in the best form of her life since arriving in Australia.
She won the Adelaide International warm-up tournament and has now extended her unbeaten streak to 10 matches without dropping a single set in any match.
Sabalenka is transitioning to a calmer, more confident, on-court persona without losing any of her famous aggression.
It was this new version of Sabalenka that was to undergo a severe test against surprise-package Linett of Poland.
Linett enjoyed a dream run to her first Grand Slam semifinal at the age of 30, having already knocked out four seeded players, including world number four Caroline Garcia of France.
Pole was fastest out of the gate, breaking to love in the opening game and taking an early lead.
Sabalenka was being made to work hard and showed her newfound composure to get back on terms to love, a break of her own for 2-2 and the set went into a tiebreak.
Sabalenka timed her moment perfectly to ramp up the aggression and decibel level, going on a 4–0 run with a scream.
An ace that barely clipped the line extended it to 5–0 and he finished comfortably after 51 minutes, scoring 20 winners to just seven from Linett.
“I would say that I didn’t start really well,” Sabalenka admitted.
“And then on the tiebreak I found my rhythm and just started trusting myself, started going for the shots. It was great tennis for me in the tiebreak.”
Sabalenka broke Linette in the second set and “Come on!” for a 3-1 advantage.
A second break took him closer to the finish line, which he completed in 1h 33m.
Linett, who was flying the flag for Poland following the shock exit of world number one Swiatek, will have the consolation of rising to a career-high 22nd in the world when the new rankings come in on Monday.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and was auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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