She will, irrespective of the outcome, end it on the Rod Laver Arena on Saturday. Aryna Sabalenka began the 2023 Australian Open as a thrice Grand Slam singles semi-finalist unable to press further, an unflattering CV for one of the most ferocious players on the women's tour. She will, irrespective of the outcome, end it on the final day on Saturday.
It's a statement from both to be one step from the title, in what promises to be a brutal battle of the power game that made their semi-finals strikingly similar straight-set affairs on Thursday.
Rybakina, the strong-serving Moscow-born Kazakh, swept past two-time Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka 7-6(4), 6-3 for her third straight slay of a Slam champion at Melbourne Park after Iga Swiatek and Jelena Ostapenko. Make that two final shows of the last three Slams from the 23-yearold who is only reiterating why her triumph at last year's Wimbledon was no fluke.
A couple of hours later, the tall Sabalenka of Belarus made short work of Poland's Magda Linette, at 30 a first-time Slam semi-finalist, 7-6(1), 6-2 in her continued charge that hasn't seen her drop a set in the two weeks of the season-opening Slam. Make that a singles final appearance, at last and at least, after three stumbling shots at the last two US Open and the 2021 Wimbledon.
This story is from the January 27, 2023 edition of Hindustan Times.
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This story is from the January 27, 2023 edition of Hindustan Times.
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