Tag: Aryna Sabalenka

Belarusian world number one Aryna Sabalenka crushed Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina in a politically charged Australian Open semi-final on Thursday and faces Elena Rybakina for a third Melbourne title.

There was no handshake after Sabalenka dismantled Svitolina 6-2, 6-3, before Kazakhstan’s Rybakina was also a straight-sets winner, over Jessica Pegula of the United States.

The ruthless Sabalenka will take some stopping as she pursues a third Melbourne crown in four years.

She is on an 11-match win streak this year, having come into the first major of 2026 on the back of claiming the title in Brisbane.

The hard-hitting 27-year-old is into her fourth Australian Open final in a row and yet to drop a set all year.

Sabalenka and Moscow-born fifth seed Rybakina have met 14 times, with the Belarusian winning eight of them.

That includes the Melbourne final in 2023, when Sabalenka fought back to win in three sets.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Ahead of her semi-final clash with 12th seed Svitolina, an announcement was made at Rod Laver Arena that there would be no handshake afterwards, asking fans to “respect” that.

Like other players from Ukraine, Svitolina does not shake hands with opponents from Russia or Moscow’s ally Belarus because of the war.

Sabalenka and Svitolina also noticeably kept apart for the pre-match formalities and photos.

After a dominant victory, Sabalenka was close to tears as she reflected on the “dream” life she leads.

She had warm words for Svitolina, saying: “I’m super happy with the win, she’s a really tough opponent, she was playing really incredible tennis throughout the whole week.”

There was controversy at the start of the fourth game.

With the match on serve, Sabalenka was hit with a hindrance call from the umpire for grunting, triggering a long video review and boos.

A clearly irritated Sabalenka lost the point but recovered her poise and a break of serve early in the second set to surge home.

A reflective Svitolina said the plight of her homeland put the defeat into perspective.

“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 31-year-old said.

READ: Hyderabad owner Fawad Sarwar provides update on team name, logo reveal

Aryna Sabalenka beat Karolina Muchova in straight sets to reach her third Brisbane International final in a row on Saturday, a week ahead of the Australian Open.

Sabalenka looked in great touch against the tricky Czech, who had won their last three meetings and went into the match as one of the few players with a winning record over the world number one.

But Sabalenka showed her class and power as she broke Muchova once in each set to take the semi-final 6-3, 6-4 in 89 minutes.

“I struggled against her a couple of times (in the past),” Sabalenka said.

“I’m happy that today I was focused from the beginning and I was able to show such great tennis and put her under so much pressure and get the win in straight sets. That’s just super great.”

The 27-year-old Belarusian said she could feel her level getting better with every match in Brisbane, where she is yet to drop a set.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

She said that with seven of the world’s top 10 having entered, it was ideal preparation for the Australian Open, which begins in Melbourne on January 18.

Aryna Sabalenka is aiming to win a third Australian Open in four years.

“I definitely feel that compared to the first match here, I’m playing better and better,” she said.

“That’s really important heading to Melbourne, to build that level, and to play some great matches against great opponents.

“So I’m super happy with the performance so far and cannot wait to play my final match here.”

Sabalenka, the defending champion, will play either fourth seed Jessica Pegula or Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk in Sunday’s final.

READ: Senegal outplay 10-man Mali to reach AFCON semi-finals

Aryna Sabalenka powered into her 11th semi-final of the year and a clash with Jessica Pegula after a 6-3, 6-3 win over Elena Rybakina at the Wuhan Open on Friday.

The world number one remains unbeaten in four tournament appearances at the event and will take a 20-0 record into her showdown with Pegula on Saturday.

American third seed Coco Gauff was also victorious, 6-3, 6-0 against Laura Siegemund to reach the last four in Wuhan for a second straight year.

Defending champion Sabalenka improved to 8-5 head-to-head against Kazakhstan’s Rybakina, whose bid for a WTA Finals berth has taken a hit.

“Elena is a great player, very nice girl and always tough to play against,” said Sabalenka, the US Open champion.

“We have a really huge history against each other, always great battles. She always pushes me to the limit to get the win.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“I’m super happy with the performance today.”

A rock-solid Sabalenka claimed a timely break of serve in game eight on her way to forging a one-set lead in 43 minutes in temperatures above 30C.

Continuing to showcase some impressive all-court prowess, Sabalenka broke twice in the second frame to build a 4-1 advantage.

Rybakina, the eighth seed, narrowed the deficit by getting one of the breaks back but couldn’t stop Sabalenka from marching into the final four and extending her winning streak to 10 matches.

Sixth-seeded Pegula recorded her 50th win of the season with a 2-6, 6-0, 6-3 victory over Katerina Siniakova to reach a third consecutive semi-final, following Beijing and the US Open.

Pegula’s last seven matches were all three-setters, contested within a 16-day period, and the American was successful in six of them.

“I guess I’m in really good shape,” said the 31-year-old.

“I definitely don’t think I need to play any more matches or work on any physical stuff because I’ve been able to battle through these matches and play very well.”

She added: “Obviously I wish maybe it was more straightforward for my mental and physical state.

“But if I win every match for the rest of my life in three sets I think I’ll be pretty happy.”

Pegula’s left thigh was taped during her quarter-final but she told reporters it was just a precautionary measure and she felt “just a niggle” from playing too many long matches.

Unlike Pegula, Gauff has been breezing through her matches, and has dropped a mere nine games across three rounds so far in Wuhan.

The 21-year-old from Florida converted five of eight break points against Siegemund and completed the victory in 85 minutes.

“I think I had chances in the first set to even have a greater lead, so I think I just capitalised more on those chances in the second set,” said Gauff, who awaits Iga Swiatek or Jasmine Paolini in the final four.

READ: De Klerk stars as South Africa edge India in Women’s World Cup

Amanda Anisimova beat Naomi Osaka in three sets on Thursday to set up a US Open final against reigning champion Aryna Sabalenka.

Eighth seed Anisimova won 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 as the American reached her second successive Grand Slam final after finishing runner-up at Wimbledon in July.

Meanwhile, Sabalenka overcame Pegula 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a re-run of last year’s final and is seeking to become the first player to successfully defend the title in New York since Serena Williams in 2014.

The 27-year-old from Belarus is through to her third successive US Open final.

“It was a really tough match — she (Pegula) played incredible tennis as always, and I had to work really hard to get this win,” said Sabalenka.

“Just super happy to be back in the final and hopefully I can go all the way again.”

Sabalenka has now made the final at four of the last five Grand Slams but has not added to her haul of three majors since winning the 2024 US Open.

She finished runner-up at the Australian Open and Roland Garros earlier this year.

She landed the first blow in the sixth game against Pegula, who saved a pair of break points before the Belarusian’s persistence paid off as she surged into a 4-2 lead.

Watch the US Open 2025 Live on ARY ZAP

A sloppy service game from Sabalenka allowed Pegula to respond immediately. The American then held the level at 4-4 and put the pressure right back on the top seed.

An error from Sabalenka gave Pegula another break for a 5-4 advantage and she served out to love to take the first set, to the delight of the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd.

Sabalenka reset, though, and roared back to reel off the first three games of the second set, an early break the difference as she sent the match to a deciding set.

A break to open the third set saw Sabalenka edge 2-0 ahead. She scrambled to save three break points and stay in control at 4-2 in and fought off another in the eighth game to close in on victory.

Pegula held and forced Sabalenka to get over the line on her own serve. She eventually converted a third match point with a crunching forehand winner to her palpable relief.

Aryna Sabalenka will try to avenge her Wimbledon semi-final loss to Amanda Anisimova on Saturday.

The eighth-seeded Anisimova reached her second major final in a row after rallying to overcome Osaka 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 in a match that stretched well past midnight in New York.

“I wasn’t sure I would make it past the finish line. I tried to dig deep. It was a huge fight out there,” said Anisimova.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“It means the world. I’m trying to process that right now; it’s a dream come true. The hope is to be the champion, but I’m in the final now and I’m excited.”

Osaka, seeded 23rd, was enjoying her best Grand Slam run since winning her second Australian Open title in 2021 – the last of her four major crowns.

She looked on course to go a step further after taking the first set in a tie-break, boasting a 26-1 record at this level when doing so.

Four breaks in six games to begin the second set betrayed the nerves on both sides.

Anisimova broke for the third time to go 5-4 up, but as in the previous two instances, she then lost her own serve, double-faulting to keep Osaka in the set.

In a reversal of the first tie-break, Anisimova took charge of the second to level the contest.

Anisimova carried that momentum into the decider and broke for a 3-1 cushion as she continued to punish Osaka’s ineffective second serve.

Two comfortable service games moved Anisimova 5-2 clear. Osaka held before the American earned two match points in a dramatic final game.

Osaka saved both and carved out two break points only for Anisimova to cut short the comeback and secure victory at the third attempt.

READ: New Zealand’s Ross Taylor comes out of retirement to play for Samoa

World number one Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the fourth round of the US Open on Friday after extending her remarkable streak of tie-break victories to defeat Canada’s Leylah Fernandez.

Reigning champion Sabalenka punched her ticket to the last 16 after seeing off Fernandez 6-3, 7-6 (7/2) in one hour and 39 minutes on the Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Sabalenka’s decisive second-set victory was capped by her 18th consecutive tie-break win.

The victory was also sweet revenge for Sabalenka, who suffered an upset defeat to then-teenager Fernandez in the semi-finals of the 2021 US Open.

“I wanted this revenge badly,” Sabalenka said afterwards. “It was a tough lesson for me back then. Since then, we never played again.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“I just wanted to prove to myself that the lesson was learned and that I developed as a player, and I could get this win.”

Sabalenka attributes her dominance of tie-breaks this season to a tougher mental approach.

“I definitely think that mentally I’m pretty strong, and I’m still growing, because I’m learning a lot of lessons, and all of those lessons are making me tougher, tougher, and tougher,” she said.

Asked if she believed her opponents were aware of her tie-break record, she replied: “I hope so. I’m not focusing on that during the match, obviously. But extra pressure on my opponents? I love that.”

The skilful Fernandez, the 31st seed, had started brightly, earning four break points on Sabalenka’s opening service game of the first set.

Watch the US Open 2025 Live on ARY ZAP

Crucially, though, Aryna Sabalenka saved them all before holding, and then took advantage in the fourth game when Fernandez double-faulted to hand the Belarusian a break for a 3-1 lead.

That break was all Sabalenka needed to close out the set.

A tense second set saw Fernandez continue to cause problems for Sabalenka, who again was forced to fight off a break point in the sixth game.

But when the set went to a decisive tie-break, there only ever looked like being one winner, with Sabalenka scoring three mini-breaks in rapid succession to help open up a 4-1 lead.

That soon became 6-1, and Sabalenka sealed a win that sees her into a fourth-round showdown with unseeded Spaniard Cristina Bucsa.

READ: Rashid Khan laments lost momentum in defeat against Pakistan

Defending US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka says she is “a better player and person” than the one who lost to Leylah Fernandez four years ago as they prepare for a re-run of their 2021 semi-final.

Sabalenka overcame a spirited challenge from unseeded Russian Polina Kudermetova to advance to the third round in New York on Wednesday.

World number one Sabalenka edged a tense first set in the Arthur Ashe night session before putting away Kudermetova 7-6 (7/4), 6-2.

The win sent Sabalenka through to a first meeting with Canadian 31st seed Fernandez since their semi-final clash at Flushing Meadows four years ago.

Watch the US Open 2025 Live on ARY ZAP

Leylah Fernandez won that showdown before losing the final to Emma Raducanu, but Sabalenka is reluctant to dwell on the past.

“I think I’d better not remember anything from that match, because I think I changed a lot,” said Aryna Sabalenka.

“I had really tough challenges after that, and I went through. I found myself. I have become a better player and a person.

“So I think it’s going to be a completely different match. I’d better just not try to remember that match.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“But, of course, I do remember a couple of things, and I love rematches. So I’m actually super excited about facing her here again.”

Sabalenka is on a quest to make history by becoming the first woman to successfully defend her US Open title since the legendary Serena Williams accomplished the feat in 2014.

“I have to focus on myself. I know that if I’m able to bring my game and fight for every point, I’ll have my chances. I try to bring the best fight possible every time,” said Aryna Sabalenka.

READ: Eliud Kipchoge feeling the pressure ahead of Sydney Marathon

Aryna Sabalenka launched the defence of her US Open crown with victory Sunday while Novak Djokovic made a successful start to his latest bid for a record 25th Grand Slam singles title.

World number one Sabalenka, bidding to become the first woman to claim back-to-back US Open titles since Serena Williams completed a hat-trick of wins in 2014, was made to work hard en route to a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Switzerland’s Rebeka Masarova.

Masarova, ranked 108th in the world, pushed Sabalenka out of her comfort zone with a gutsy performance on the main Arthur Ashe Stadium showcourt at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

“Happy to get this win and happy to be in the second round. I feel like I didn’t start my best in the first games, but then I found my rhythm,” said Sabalenka, who will face unseeded Russian Polina Kudermetova.

While Sabalenka advanced safely, Danish 14th seed Clara Tauson tumbled out to Alexandra Eala.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Eala, 20, became the first player from the Philippines to win a Grand Slam singles match with a thrilling 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (13/11) win, battling back from a 5-1 deficit in the final set.

Another player from Southeast Asia, Indonesia’s Janice Tjen, also bagged an upset, ousting Russian 24th seed Veronika Kudermetova 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

“I feel proud to be able to do this for my country,” said Tjen, the first Indonesian since Angelique Widjaja in 2004 to reach the main draw of a Grand Slam singles event.

Tjen, ranked 149th in the world, will face Britain’s Emma Raducanu in the second round.

Raducanu, who made history at Flushing Meadows in 2021 by becoming the first qualifier to lift a Grand Slam title, clinched her first US Open match win since that memorable triumph with a 6-1, 6-2 drubbing of Japan’s Ena Shibahara.

Watch US Open Live on ARY ZAP

With men’s defending champion Jannik Sinner and rival Carlos Alcaraz not opening their campaigns until Monday and Tuesday, all eyes were on the veteran Serbian star Novak Djokovic in Sunday night’s session on Ashe.

The 38-year-old showed flashes of brilliance in a 6-1, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 win against his unseeded 19-year-old American opponent Learner Tien.

Djokovic raced through the first set but was then forced to save a set point in the second after Tien grew in confidence.

A lengthy medical timeout to treat what looked like a blister on his right foot helped revive Djokovic, and he pulled away to wrap up victory in 2 hours and 25 minutes.

“I still have the flair, I still have the drive, and you guys give me the energy,” Novak Djokovic told the crowd. “Hopefully I can keep it going.”

READ: US Open chaos as Benjamin Bonzi ousts raging Daniil Medvedev

World number one Aryna Sabalenka believes she is ready to hit her peak as she prepares to launch the defence of her US Open crown after a tumultuous season of near-misses.

The 27-year-old from Belarus arrives at Flushing Meadows sitting on top of the global rankings despite a year in which she has failed to add to her tally of three Grand Slam singles titles.

Agonising defeats in the finals of the Australian and French Opens, followed by a semi-final exit at Wimbledon, have left Sabalenka even more determined to retain her crown in New York, a tournament she regards as her favourite Grand Slam.

Aryna Sabalenka took a lengthy break after her Wimbledon disappointment, opting to skip the WTA Montreal tournament in order to recharge.

Although her return at the Cincinnati Open ended in a straight-sets defeat to Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals, a relaxed Sabalenka says she is in a positive mood heading to New York.

“I’ve had a pretty good season so far in the Slams. Lost those two finals, but I learned really tough lessons,” Sabalenka said.

“I lost in the semis at Wimbledon, but the consistency is there. I’m just missing a little, little part. (The US Open) has always been my favorite slam. I’m the defending champion, and I love being in this position.”

Both of Sabalenka’s Grand Slam final defeats this season went to three sets.

A gruelling 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 loss to Madison Keys in Melbourne was followed by a 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-4 reverse to Coco Gauff at Roland Garros.

“I really hope those tough lessons are going to help me in this one,” said Aryna Sabalenka, who was criticised for remarks after her French Open defeat in which she suggested her own mistakes.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

She subsequently apologised for her comments and has patched up her relationship with Gauff, who also defeated Sabalenka in the final of the 2023 US Open.

As the No.1 seed, Aryna Sabalenka could meet third seed Gauff in the semi-finals in New York, in a repeat of their 2023 final.

But the biggest threat to Sabalenka’s hopes of a successful title defence may come in the shape of Poland’s Iga Swiatek, who heads into the tournament brimming with confidence after following up her breakthrough Wimbledon title in July with victory at the Cincinnati Open.

Second-seed Swiatek, who defeated Sabalenka in the semi-finals en route to winning the US Open in 2022, has looked in a relaxed mood since arriving in New York.

She shrugged off fatigue to partner Casper Ruud to Wednesday’s mixed doubles final, where the duo were beaten by Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, but looks well-placed to add a second US Open crown to her collection of six Grand Slam singles titles.

Meanwhile, the US hopes will be spearheaded by Gauff, the 2023 champion whose fortunes have fluctuated since her victory at the French Open in June.

The 21-year-old suffered a first-round exit at Wimbledon and has struggled to get to grips with her service game since, notably making 23 double faults in a single match at the Canadian Open in Montreal last month — the most in a WTA-level match since 2011.

Gauff has moved to remedy those problems by shaking up her coaching team just days before the US Open, reportedly bringing in biomechanical coach Gavin McMillan to iron out the kinks in her serve this week.

READ: Rested but rusty Novak Djokovic plots US Open ambush

Amanda Anisimova ended the Wimbledon dream of top seed Aryna Sabalenka on Thursday, winning a gruelling battle of the big-hitters to set up a final clash against Iga Swiatek or Belinda Bencic.

The American 13th seed converted her fourth match point to seal a tense 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory in scorching temperatures on Centre Court.

World number one Aryna Sabalenka had reached the previous three Grand Slam finals but came up short against Anisimova, who matched her blow for blow in a bruising match lasting just over two and a half hours.

“This doesn’t feel real right now, honestly,” said Anisimova. “Aryna is such a tough competitor, and I was absolutely dying out there. I don’t know how I pulled it out.

“We’ve had so many tough battles, and to come out on top and be in the final of Wimbledon is incredible.”

Watch WIMBLEDON 2025 Live on ARY ZAP

Anisimova is only the second player in the Open era to reach a women’s final at a Grand Slam after losing in qualifying at the previous year’s event.

“If you told me I would be in the final of Wimbledon, I would not believe you. It’s indescribable to be honest,” she said.

The 23-year-old, who now has an impressive 6-3 winning record against Sabalenka, won the first set when the Belarusian top seed double-faulted.

But a single break in the second set was enough for Aryna Sabalenka to level the match, and when she broke at the start of the decider, she appeared to have the momentum.

Anisimova, though, was not to be denied, breaking twice and moving into a 4-1 lead.

She wobbled when attempting to serve for the match but sealed the win on Sabalenka’s serve in the following game.

Reaching her first Grand Slam title match is a cathartic moment for Anisimova, who was hailed as a teenage sensation after reaching the 2019 French Open semi-finals aged just 17.

But in 2023, she took an eight-month break from the court for mental health reasons, tumbling out of the top 400.

This time last year, she was on the comeback trail but was ranked too low to qualify for the Wimbledon main draw and fell in the qualifying round.

Since then, she has climbed quickly, winning the WTA 1000 tournament in Qatar earlier this year, and is guaranteed to make her top-10 debut on Monday.

But defeat was a bitter blow for Sabalenka, who has still never been beyond the semi-finals at Wimbledon.

The 27-year-old won last year’s US Open to collect her third major, but suffered agonising defeats in the finals of this year’s Australian Open and French Open.

Polish former world number one Swiatek faces Swiss world number 35 Bencic in the second semi-final on Centre Court.

Swiatek, seeded eighth, has gone under the radar at this year’s Wimbledon as most of the other top women’s seeds have tumbled, dropping just one set so far.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

After slipping down the rankings, the 24-year-old is now back in the world’s top four, having reached her first-ever grass-court final at Bad Homburg last month.

Swiatek, who won junior Wimbledon in 2018, said after her quarter-final victory against Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova that she had worked hard to improve her game on the surface.

“It feels great. Even though I’m in the middle of the tournament, I’ve already got goosebumps after this win. I’m super happy and super proud of myself, and I’ll keep going,” she said.

Bencic returned to action in October, six months after giving birth to her daughter, Bella.

Like Swiatek, the 28-year-old Bencic is a former junior Wimbledon champion.

“I’m very proud. I didn’t say it to myself much before, but since having Bella, I say it to myself every day. It’s not only me, I wouldn’t be able to do it without my amazing family and team,” said the Tokyo Olympic champion.

READ: WATCH: Ireland’s Curtis Campher creates history, becomes first player to achieve rare feat

World number one Aryna Sabalenka overcame a tough test to beat Marie Bouzkova 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 and progress to the Wimbledon third round on Wednesday, avoiding the fate of many of her title rivals.

A number of top players exited in the first round at the All England Club, including second seed Coco Gauff, third seed Jessica Pegula, and fifth seed Zheng Qinwen.

Top seed Aryna Sabalenka was pushed hard by Bouzkova in Wednesday’s opening match on Centre Court as her Czech opponent matched fire with fire in a bruising encounter.

Watch WIMBLEDON 2025 Live on ARY ZAP

The first set went with serve until Aryna Sabalenka doubled-faulted in the 11th game to give her 48th-ranked opponent the chance to serve for the set.

But the Belarusian broke back with a searing backhand down the line and came out on top in the tie-break to establish a foothold in the match.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Aryna Sabalenka broke again in the fifth game of the second set to move within sight of victory and closed out the match with little fuss.

Although Sabalenka is a three-time Grand Slam champion, she has suffered agonising three-set defeats in this year’s Australian Open and French Open finals.

The 27-year-old has never been beyond the Wimbledon semi-finals and missed last year’s tournament with a shoulder injury.

READ: Novak Djokovic thanks ‘miracle pills’ after Wimbledon win