Sabalenka reaches Australian Open semi-final despite dropping set

Aryna Sabalenka lost her first set of the fortnight – and her first set in Melbourne since 2023 – but still made the Australian Open semi-finals, coming through a test courtesy of Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2, 2-6, 6-3.

Sabalenka dominated the first set, taking her opponent by storm with her powerful shots, but Pavlyuchenkova improved her movement, reading her opponent’s shots better and bringing some power of her own, hitting ten winners and just four unforced errors in the second set.

But the Belarusian refused to be dismissed, bouncing back after an early break in the decider and then closing the match on her own serve.

Going into the match, Pavlyuchenkova led the head-to-head 2-1, but their most recent meeting was in the third round of Roland-Garros 2021. It was a very different time, when Sabalenka had yet to make a semi-final at a Slam, and Pavlyuchenkova went on to reach the final. Since then, Sabalenka has only been knocked out before the semi-final of a Slam on three occasions: at the Australian Open 2022, and Roland Garros 2022 and 2024.

Sabalenka will now face Paula Badosa in the semi-final.

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