Aryna Sabalenka has described reaching a fourth straight Australian Open final as an “incredible achievement” while also insisting “the job is not done yet” at Melbourne Park.
The World No 1 overpowered 12th seed Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena and will now take on Elena Rybakina in Saturday's showpiece.
Sabalenka has yet to drop a set in this year's tournament and looks in ominous touch as she aims to secure a third Australian Open crown.
The Belarusian became just the third player in the Open era to reach four consecutive women’s singles finals in Melbourne, after Evonne Goolagong (1971-76) and Martina Hingis (1997-2002), who each played six in a row.
“I cannot believe that, it is an incredible achievement,” said Sabalenka, who won back-to-back titles before losing to Madison Keys in last year's final. “But the job is not done yet.
“I am super happy with the win, she is a great opponent and was playing incredible tennis throughout the week. I am super happy to get through this tough match.
“I have been watching her game and I felt like I had to step in and put as much pressure as I could today.
“I'm glad that the level was there today. I am happy to get this win in straight sets.”
A head-to-head record of 5-1 in Sabalenka's favour, with Svitolina's only win coming nearly six years ago, told its own story, and the winner count was 29 to 12 in the top seed's favour.
Svitolina, who was supported from courtside by husband Gael Monfils, could probably have done without the hindrance that umpire Louise Azemar Engzell called against Sabalenka at the start of the fourth game.
Engzell ruled that Sabalenka, who is known for her loud grunting, had called out after she had hit the ball, giving the point to Svitolina.
Sabalenka called for a video review but the original decision stood and, fuelled by apparent rage, the four-time Grand Slam champion promptly broke serve.
Her booming baseline game was landing more than missing and one of her very best zingers, a backhand fizzed cross-court, gave her a 19th winner and the first set.
Sabalenka's only slight wobble came at the start of the second set when Svitolina won two games on the trot, but the 27-year-old responded with five in a row and cemented her dominance of the women's game by reaching an eighth slam final overall and fifth in the last six tournaments.
“Gutted not to make it through tonight,” Svitolina, who beat six-time slam winner Iga Swiatek to reach the semi-finals, said. “Of course it's very difficult when you're playing a world number one on fire.”
Like Sabalenka, fifth seed Rybakina has yet to lose a set in her run to the final that continued with a 6-3, 7-6 victory over Jessica Pegula in the day's second match on Rod Laver Arena.
The Russian-born Kazakhstani needed one hour and 40 minutes to overcome Pegula, who saved three-match points in what was her first Australian Open semi-final.
Rybakina will now be aiming for a repeat of her WTA Finals defeat of Sabalenka in Riyadh in November that clinched her biggest title since winning Wimbledon in 2022. The 26-year-old can also avenge her three-set loss to Sabalenka in the 2023 Melbourne final by winning on Saturday.
“It was such a battle, an epic second set,” said former Wimbledon champion Rybakina. “I'm really glad I managed to win. Jessica fought super well in the second set.
“It was really stressful for my team and me also. I've had an epic tiebreak here before and I lost it. A little flashback came, but I'm glad it turned my way in the end.
“I am pretty proud that no matter what the situation was, I still stayed [competing] and was fighting for every point. The match started pretty well compared to previous matches, so overall a lot of positives to take.
“It was a great battle [against Sabalenka in the 2023 final]. In the end, she played a bit better and it was well deserved.
“I want to enjoy the final and hopefully I can serve better than today. I am so excited.”
