Australian Open: Zheng reaches final

Chinese Qinwen Zheng, the No 12 seed, advanced to the final of the Australian Open by defeating Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska 6-4, 6-4 at Melbourne Park on Thursday.

Zheng, ranked No 15, will play Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, the second seed, next.

The 21-year-old Chinese won against American Ashlyn Krueger (3-6, 6-2, 6-3), Katie Boulter (6-3, 6-3), Yafan Wang (6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (8)), Frenchwoman Oceane Dodin (6-0, 6-3) and Russian Anna Kalinskaya (6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-1) ahead of her victory.

In the previous rounds, Yastremska, ranked No 93, beat No 7 seed Marketa Vondrousova (6-1, 6-2), Frenchwoman Varvara Gracheva (6-3, 6-2), American Emma Navarro, the No 27 seed (6-2, 2-6, 6-1), Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, the No 18 seed (7-6 (6), 6-4) and Linda Noskova (6-3, 6-4).

Melbourne (Grand Slam), other semi-final result (Melbourne Park, hard, USD 58.910.000):

• Aryna Sabalenka beat Coco Gauff (4): 7-6 (2), 6-4