Aryna Sabalenka ends Elina Svitolina fairytale to reach Australian Open final

“Super happy to be through this tough match. The job is not done yet,” said Sabalenka, who is only the second woman after Martina Hingis to reach a fourth straight Australian Open final. “I played great tennis.”

Sabalenka, who lost in the final here last year against Madison Keys, is yet to drop a set this fortnight. In fact this was the first time in 31 years that all four players in the women’s singles had reached the semi-finals at a slam without dropping a set. Only in 1970, 1976, 1980 and 1995 had it happened previously in the open era.

Svitolina, who gave birth to her daughter, Skai, in 2022, will re-enter the top ten next week, 38 months after becoming a mother.

In September she ended her season early, explaining that she did not feel ready to compete mentally or emotionally. She gave herself time to “heal and recharge”. She returned in January to lift the WTA 250 title in Auckland, meaning she entered this contest having won all ten of her matches in 2026. Sabalenka also came into this with a perfect 2026 record, having won the title in Brisbane, so something had to give.

“Definitely very, very happy with the two weeks here and in New Zealand,” Svitolina, 31, said. “Of course, gutted to not make it through tonight but it’s very difficult when you’re playing the world No1, who is really on fire.

“I have this amazing opportunity to play on centre court here, represent my country, to do it in a decent way. I feel like for the past weeks, they have been really carrying me through with great vibes, with great emotion.

“When I wake up in the morning, I see terrifying news, but then I see people watching my matches. People [are] really living horrible and terrifying lives in Ukraine, so I should not be allowed to really be sad, because I’m a very, very lucky person.”

The clock on Rod Laver still read 0:00 when Svitolina — who knocked out the world No8 Mirra Andreeva and No3 Coco Gauff en route to her maiden semi-final here — recorded her first winner, but Sabalenka saved two break points for an opening-game hold.

A hindrance call against Sabalenka for “making a noise” mid-point was reviewed by the perplexed Belarusian but the call was upheld after the Swedish umpire, Louise Azemar Engzell, had revisited the point with her headphones on. Sabalenka grunted after most shots and on this occasion she was judged to have prolonged the noise for too long after the ball left her racket.

Sabalenka was rewarded for her aggression against Svitolina’s serve with a break for 3-1. Svitolina dumped a shocking drop shot into the net from mid-court — a point which should have been hers and brought two break points. Instead Sabalenka held for 4-1.

Svitolina secured the sixth game with an ace, which brought a smile from her husband, Gaël Monfils, the former world No6 who was in the Ukrainian’s courtside box.

Sabalenka held before breaking for a second time, claiming the set with a backhand cross-court winner worthy of winning any set.

Svitolina started the second set in perfect fashion, breaking the Sabalenka serve for the first time in the match. A sarcastic thumbs-up and a tap to the temple from Sabalenka was evidence that she was irritated by something. Thankfully for Sabalenka she managed to channel her frustration productively — something she has not always been able to do — and broke back for 2-2.

She won the next three games among a flurry of winners and closed out the match to move one match away from grand-slam title No5.

Meanwhile Britain’s Neal Skupski will compete for the men’s doubles title alongside Christian Harrison. The former world No1 and his American partner won their semi-final 6-3, 7-6 (9-7) against Marcel Granollers, of Spain, and Argentina’s Horacio Zeballos.

The No6 seeds will take on the Australian wild-card duo of Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans, who beat Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis in the first round. Skupski, 36, won the 2023 Wimbledon doubles title alongside his long-time partner Wesley Koolhof.

Britain’s Mark Ceban, 16, is also into the boys’ doubles semi-final alongside Russia’s Kirill Filaretov.

Click here to read article