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Aryna Sabalenka is one step closer to etching her name in Australian Open history. The Belarusian top seed cruised past Paula Badosa 6-4, 6-2 in the semifinals, securing her place in the final and keeping alive her bid to become the first woman in 26 years to win three consecutive titles in Melbourne.
Sabalenka, who previously described Badosa as her "soulmate," overcame a shaky start to dominate the match. Despite Badosa's early lead, Sabalenka quickly found her rhythm, winning four games in a row to seize control of the first set. The second set saw a similar pattern, with Sabalenka's powerful groundstrokes proving too much for the Spaniard.
This victory extends Sabalenka's impressive winning streak at the Australian Open to 20 matches. She will now face either Iga Swiatek or Madison Keys in the final, where she has a chance to emulate Martina Hingis, who achieved the three-peat between 1997 and 1999.
"Just saying that, I have goosebumps," Sabalenka expressed. "I am so proud of myself and my team. It's a privilege, and if I can put my name in the history books, it would mean the world to me."
The outcome of the final will also determine the world number one ranking. If Swiatek loses in the semifinals, Sabalenka will retain the top spot. However, if Swiatek advances, the winner of the championship match will claim the coveted position.
Despite their close friendship off the court, both players remained fiercely competitive during the match. While they shared a few moments of camaraderie, their focus remained unwavering on the task at hand.
Sabalenka acknowledged the challenging nature of the match against her friend. "It was a super tough match against a friend," she said. "I'm super happy to see her at her highest level. After a couple of battles against each other, we decided to put it aside, and here we both wanted it badly."
With a potential clash against Swiatek looming, the Australian Open final promises to be an exciting showdown between two of the world's best players.
