Rybakina sets up Sabalenka final

Few in the women's game hit the ball as hard as the duo and with consistency too

- Shahid Judge

Aryna Sabalenka took a few measured steps forward, racquet cocked behind her body. Once the ball sat up to a comfortable height, she hit a hard forehand for a cross-court winner.

A few hours later on Thursday, on the same court at the Rod Laver Arena, Elena Rybakina took a quick split-step to come inside the baseline. She pulled her racquet behind her, loading for a backhand. When the ball came into her striking zone, she hammered a two-hander down-the-line for a winner.

In those two strokes, two of the hardest-hitters on the women’s tennis secured their spots in the final of the Australian Open.

Sabalenka, the world No.1 took 76 minutes to earn a 6-2, 6-3 win over Elina Svitolina. Meanwhile, world No.5 Rybakina beat American player Jessica Pegula 6-3, 7-6(7) in an even 100 minutes of play.

Thursday's displays were examples of the immense hitting abilities both Sabalenka and Rybakina possess. But striking the ball with power is one thing. Consistently getting it over the net and landing it between the lines is just as important. And Saturday's final will be the 15th meeting between two of the more inform players in recent months.

They both enter the final having not dropped a single set at the tournament. Their semifinal wins followed their own idiosyncratic scripts though.