Jawdropping dominance: Sabalenka overpowers Svitolina to reach fourth straight Melbourne final
Aryna Sabalenka defeated Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-3 on Thursday to secure her place in a fourth consecutive Australian Open final. The world No. 1 extended her 2026 winning streak to 11-0, moving within one victory of reclaiming her throne as the undisputed champion of Melbourne.
Aryna Sabalenka, Australian Open 2025 | © PsNewz
Aryna Sabalenka defeated Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-3 to confirm her status as the most formidable force on hard courts in the modern era. By reaching her fourth straight final at Melbourne Park, the 27-year-old Belarusian becomes only the second woman in the Open Era to achieve the feat after Martina Hingis.
In a semifinal defined by raw power and clinical execution, Sabalenka utilized her “jawdropping” baseline game to dismantle the 12th-seeded Ukrainian in just over an hour. With this victory, she has now won 26 of her last 27 matches at the Australian Open and has reached the final of every hard-court Grand Slam played since January 2023.
Power Overcoming Precision
The match opened with a high-intensity exchange where Sabalenka’s aggressive intent was immediately apparent. Despite facing two break points in the very first game, the world No. 1 steadied herself and began “purring” with a brutal display of ball striking.
She broke Svitolina’s serve twice in the opening set, striking 19 winners to nearly triple her opponent’s count. While Svitolina, a 31-year-old mother playing in her first Australian Open semifinal, attempted to combat the barrage with nagging accuracy, she simply could not match the sheer velocity of Sabalenka’s shots.
The second set briefly flickered with tension as Svitolina secured an early break to lead 2-0. However, an “angry Aryna” proved to be a dangerous one; Sabalenka responded by winning the next five games to put the result beyond doubt. In a tournament where she has yet to drop a single set, Sabalenka finished the match with 29 winners, moving into her eighth career Grand Slam final.
Handshakes and Hindrances
The match was not without its points of controversy. At the start of the fourth game, Sabalenka was assessed a rare hindrance penalty by chair umpire Louise Azemar Engzell. The official ruled that Sabalenka’s extended, atypical grunt on a forehand shank distracted Svitolina. Although Sabalenka requested a video review and briefly argued the call, the point was awarded to Svitolina. The penalty ultimately did little to rattle the top seed, who broke Svitolina’s serve in that same game to take a commanding lead.
As has become standard in matches between Belarusian and Ukrainian players, there was no handshake at the net. An announcement was made to the Rod Laver Arena crowd before the match to explain the protocol. Sabalenka was quick to praise her opponent’s level afterward: “It’s an incredible achievement but the job’s not done yet. I’ve been watching her game, (Svitolina) was playing incredible. I felt like I had to step in and put as much pressure as I could back on her. I’m glad the level was there. I think I played great tennis.”
Sabalenka now awaits the winner of the second semifinal between Elena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula. If she secures the title on Saturday, she will reclaim the Australian Open crown she relinquished last year and further cement her legacy as the dominant queen of Melbourne.
