“I just can’t believe that. It’s an incredible achievement but the job is not done yet,” Sabalenka said after her win. She expressed satisfaction with her performance against Svitolina, recognizing the challenge her opponent posed throughout the tournament.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, players from both Russia and Belarus have faced restrictions that prevent them from representing their nations at Grand Slam events. Svitolina, who has spoken candidly about the pressure of competing against athletes from these countries, aimed to uplift her own during the Australian Open following a challenging winter.
Despite Svitolina’s resolve, Sabalenka delivered a powerful game, marking a significant achievement by becoming the third woman in the Open Era to reach the Australian Open final four times consecutively, joining the ranks of Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Martina Hingis.
Svitolina expressed disappointment after the match, stating, “Gutted not to make it through tonight. Of course it’s very difficult when you’re playing a world number one on fire.” Though she faced a tough match, Svitolina showed fierce competitiveness from the start, hitting a forehand winner on the very first point.
Initially, Sabalenka struggled, conceding two break points but found her rhythm and secured breaks to take control of the match. An incident during the match saw Svitolina awarded a point due to an obstruction call against Sabalenka, prompting a brief controversy, but the Belarusian quickly rebounded.
With commanding play, Sabalenka built a 4-1 lead in the first set, ultimately converting her third set point after showcasing impressive shot-making with a cross-court winner.
In the second set, Sabalenka opened poorly, dropping her service game, which briefly ignited hopes for Svitolina. However, Sabalenka responded with resilience and regained the momentum, breaking Svitolina twice to firm up her advantage.
Svitolina maintained her composure, creating break points as she attempted to keep the match competitive, but Sabalenka’s power proved too overwhelming. After fending off a critical break point with a strong forehand, Sabalenka accelerated toward victory, ultimately sealing the match with a stylish forehand winner.
Earlier, Rybakina demonstrated her striking prowess on Rod Laver Arena against Pegula. The 26-year-old dominated the match with her powerful strikes, putting Pegula under significant pressure. After some early resistance from the American, Rybakina’s strength in closing out the first set secured her a strategic advantage.
Rybakina’s confidence grew as she took an early lead in the second set, breaking Pegula and drawing a frustrated response as the American fought back. After trading points, Pegula managed to push the set to a tiebreak but ultimately faltered, granting Rybakina the chance to advance to a rematch with Sabalenka.