Aryna Sabalenka books power battle with Elena Rybakina in Australian Open final
Sabalenka beat Magda Linette 7-6 (1) 6-2 to reach her first grand slam singles final.
Aryna Sabalenka will take on Elena Rybakina in a power battle in the final of the Australian Open.
After Rybakina saw off Victoria Azarenka, Sabalenka reached her first grand slam singles final with a 7-6 (1) 6-2 victory over unseeded Pole Magda Linette.
The Belarusian hit 33 winners and maintained her record of not losing a set through 10 matches so far this season.
“I’m super happy that I was able to get this win,” said Sabalenka. “She’s an unbelievable player, she played great tennis. I didn’t start really well and in the tie-break I found my rhythm, started trusting myself and going for my shots.”
While Linette is a fine player and did everything she could to deny Sabalenka a rhythm, this felt a bit like a contest between the fifth seed and herself.
One of the most outwardly emotional players on tour, she has credited a new commitment to a calmer mindset for her consistency so far this season.
But, with memories of three grand slam semi-final defeats fresh in her mind, Sabalenka admitted this was a big test of whether she could keep her head.
The first game did not appear to bode well as the 24-year-old made three unforced errors to drop serve but she quickly recovered the deficit and from there began to play really well.
But there Sabalenka was untouchable, opening up a 6-0 lead, and in the second set she was simply too strong for Linette, who has enjoyed a breakthrough grand slam at the age of 30.
The Pole saved three match points at 5-1 but Sabalenka clinched her fourth opportunity, celebrating with an understated clenched fist that implied she knows the job is not yet done.