Sabalenka sets up Rybakina rematch

BELARUSIAN world number one Aryna Sabalenka crushed Ukraine's Elina Svitolina in a politically charged Australian Open semifinal yesterday and faces Elena Rybakina for a third Melbourne title.

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ARYNA Sabalenka dismantled Elina Svitolina to reach her fourth consecutive Australian Open final. | AFP

(AFP)

There was no handshake after Sabalenka dismantled Svitolina 6-2, 6-3, before Kazakhstan’s Rybakina was also a straight-sets winner, over Jessica Pegula of the United States. The ruthless Sabalenka will take some stopping as she pursues a third Melbourne crown in four years. She is on an 11-match win streak this year, having come into the first major of 2026 on the back of claiming the title in Brisbane. The hard-hitting 27-year-old is into her fourth Australian Open final in a row and yet to drop a set all year.

Sabalenka and Moscow-born fifth seed Rybakina have met 14 times, with the Belarusian winning eight of them. That includes the Melbourne final in 2023, when Sabalenka fought back to win in three sets.