Sabalenka

Aryna Sabalenka surged into the Australian Open final with a 7-6(1) 6-2 win over unseeded Pole Magda Linette on Thursday to extend the red-hot Belarusian's ...

The fifth seed heaped the pressure on Linette's serve in the first-set tiebreak with her power and precision to pull away and wrapped it up when her opponent sent one long, before taking full control in the next set with an early break. Adelaide champion Sabalenka has not dropped a set en route to 10 wins in 2023 but made a poor start in chilly conditions on Rod Laver Arena, dropping her serve to love in the opening game before breaking back with two blistering backhands. MELBOURNE, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Aryna Sabalenka surged into the Australian Open final with a 7-6(1) 6-2 win over unseeded Pole Magda Linette on Thursday to extend the red-hot Belarusian's unbeaten start to the year and book a clash with Elena Rybakina.

Aryna Sabalenka has reached her first Grand Slam final after overcoming surprise Australian Open semi-finalist Magda Linette 7-6(1) 6-2.

4 Caroline Garcia and former world No. I didn’t start well, but found my rhythm in the tie-break. Linette, who had beaten world No. "Linette is an unbelievable player, and played really well. Stream the 2023 Australian Open live on Australian Open

MELBOURNE — Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina reached her second final in the past three Grand Slam tournaments by beating Victoria Azarenka 7-6 (4), ...

Sure, Rybakina again faltered for a bit while trying to serve out the victory at 5-2. A mistake-filled tiebreaker ended with Azarenka pushing a forehand wide to cap an 11-shot exchange, and the set belonged to Rybakina. Rybakina encountered similar issues and her occasional inconsistency was encapsulated by the very first game. 1 and a three-time runner-up at the U.S. Rybakina might be seeded just 22nd in Melbourne, and ranked just 25th, but those numbers are rather misleading and not indicative at all of her talent and form. “Kind of hard to digest,” Azarenka said. She delivered serves at up to 117 mph and stinging groundstrokes that she used to close points seemingly at will on Thursday. It wasn’t the case that each and every shot Sabalenka hit landed right on a line, but it must have seemed that way to Linette. Azarenka lost the mark on her strokes, for the most part, making things smoother for Rybakina, while Sabalenka raced to a 6-0 lead in hers. “For sure, they’re very experienced players,” said Rybakina, whose parents and sister have been in town throughout the Australian Open. “In the tiebreaker, I really found my rhythm,” Sabalenka said. Sabalenka is far less cautious, though, and her penchant for high-risk, high-reward play was evident against Linette, who had never before been past the third round in 29 appearances at majors.

Britain's Alfie Hewitt is on course for a potential double after reaching the wheelchair singles and doubles finals.

Following his singles success, Hewitt then booked his place in the doubles final with playing partner Gordon Reid following a 6-4, 6-4 win against Daisuke Arai and Takashi Sanada. The world’s no1 player enjoyed a comfortable 6-1, 6-1 victory over Japan’s Takuya Miki to reach his third straight final at Melbourne Park, where he is bidding for his first title. Azarenka’s countrywoman Aryna Sabalenka fared better in her own semi-final against Magda Linette to reach the first Grand Slam showpiece of her career.

Aryna Sabalenka reached her first grand-slam final with an impressive 7-6 (1), 6-2 victory over Magda Linette.

“She’s playing great tennis, super aggressive and she already got one grand slam so she has kind of had this experience playing the final. But Sabalenka held her nerve and found her range, breaking back to 2-2 before playing game for game until the tie-break. The Pole’s defensive skills absorbed much of the barrage and her footwork allowed her to redirect what she had soaked up to the desired location, particularly from her backhand. In the bowels of Rod Laver Arena, Sabalenka completed warm-up drills with a swiss ball and the look of a player loose and unperturbed about the moment of truth that awaited. It might have been that she had won all 18 sets she had played in 2023 and was not about to drop one now. The first-set tie-break said it all – Magda Linette lost it 7-1 and she had not done anything wrong.

The world No. 5 won her first Grand Slam semifinal in four tries—and extended her record in sets this season to 20-0. Elena Rybakina awaits.

Though Linette saved three to stay in the match, Sabalenka made no mistakes on serve, converting her fourth to clinch a career milestone. 16 Anett Kontaveit, No. Australian Open Semifinal Previews: Elena Rybakina vs. “It was great tennis from me in the tiebreak.” Sabalenka, who won the Australian Open women's doubles title with Elise Mertens in 2021, carried an 0-3 record in Grand Slam singles semifinals, having lost them all in heartbreaking three-setters. She raced through the first six points and allowed only the briefest of respites from the Pole to clinch the opening set in just under an hour. “She was moving really well, putting everything back,” Sabalenka explained. “It's good that I kind of broke through in the semifinals, but there is one more match to go. Victoria Azarenka; Aryna Sabalenka vs. 1 in Australia, and No. Sabalenka is a compelling battle for No. Australian Open

Belarusian fifth seed to face reigning Wimbledon champion for the first Grand Slam title of the season.

"It was an incredible atmosphere and I'm super happy to be in the final and play again here. Meanwhile, Azarenka said the loss was difficult to digest. Both players were excellent on serve for much of the first set, which was decided by a one-sided tiebreak, and from there Sabalenka rode the momentum to race into a 5-1 lead. As usual, Rybakina did it with her powerful serve – firing nine aces to bring her total to a tournament-high 44 – and stinging groundstrokes that she used to close points seemingly at will. "I'm super happy and proud. Rybakina added to what already was an impressive run through a string of top opponents.

Sabalenka, who is ranked No. 5 in the world, defeated her Polish counterpart in a game that lasted just over one hour and 30 minutes and will now face Elena ...

It was great tennis from me on the tie-break. But the Belarusian is in fine form, and she is yet to drop a single set in the Australian Open Sabalenka will now face Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina (above) in the final on Saturday [Wimbledon](/sport/wimbledon/index.html) champion Elena Rybakina in the final after she beat Victoria Azarenka 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 earlier on Thursday. - She will now face Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the final on Saturday [Aryna Sabalenka](/sport/aryna-sabalenka/index.html) reached the [Australian Open](/sport/australian_open/index.html) final after beating Magda Linette 7-6 (7-1) 6-2.

MELBOURNE, Australia — (AP) — What all seemed so different, so daunting, even, about trying to win a Grand Slam title to Elena Rybakina a little more than ...

Sure, Rybakina again faltered for a bit while trying to serve out the victory at 5-2. A mistake-filled tiebreaker ended with Azarenka pushing a forehand wide to cap an 11-shot exchange, and the set belonged to Rybakina. It was breezy and chilly at Rod Laver Arena from the start of Rybakina vs. Rybakina encountered similar issues and her occasional inconsistency was encapsulated by the very first game. 1 and a three-time runner-up at the U.S. Rybakina might be seeded just 22nd in Melbourne, and ranked just 25th, but those numbers are rather misleading and not indicative at all of her talent and form. It wasn't the case that each and every shot Sabalenka hit landed right on a line, but it must have seemed that way to Linette. Azarenka lost the mark on her strokes, for the most part, making things smoother for Rybakina, while Sabalenka raced to a 6-0 lead in hers. “Kind of hard to digest,” Azarenka said. She delivered serves at up to 117 mph (189 kph) and stinging groundstrokes that she used to close points seemingly at will on Thursday. “In the tiebreaker, I really found my rhythm,” Sabalenka said. Sabalenka is far less cautious, though, and her penchant for high-risk, high-reward play was evident against Linette, who had never before been past the third round in 29 appearances at majors.

Aryna Sabalenka is into her first grand slam final with the powerhouse Belarusian booking an Australian Open title...

Linette, who had never previously gone beyond the third round of a grand slam, can take some solace with a move up to a career-high ranking of 22 on the back of her Open charge. Up 5-1, Sabalenka had three match points on the serve of world No.45 but Linette was able to claw her way back. She got off to a nervous start, giving up her opening serve to trail 0-2, but settled into the match and regrouped to win the next three games.

MELBOURNE, Australia — It will be strength against strength and power against power in the Australian Open women's singles final on Saturday.

She has beaten three straight Grand Slam singles champions to reach this final: Iga Swiatek, Jelena Ostapenko and Azarenka, a 33-year-old Belarusian who won the Australian Open in 2012 and 2013. Sabalenka is seeded fifth and Rybakina 22nd, but that does not tell the whole tale. And yet her inconsistency and combustibility have, until now, kept her from reaching the top. But after losing her first three Grand Slam singles semifinals, she is now into her first final. “It was great tennis from me in the tiebreak.” The outcomes were strong. Both have lifted their games to new levels since then. The year’s first Grand Slam event runs from Jan. Rybakina, 23, is a quiet intimidator: her big serves and rolling, deep groundstrokes applying constant pressure. Rybakina is self-contained and difficult to read, maintaining an even keel throughout her matches. In this Australian Open, 16 to Jan.

Big-serving Wimbledon champion Rybakina defeated two-time Melbourne winner Victoria Azarenka 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 at a blustery and chilly Rod Laver Arena in ...

"For sure it's great for them. It was great tennis from me in the tiebreak." Just couldn't convert them." holding for a 3-1 advantage. [Order of Play ](https://supersport.com/tennis/content/6fe8954d-93e9-4026-a196-ffa55f142c25/aus-open-23-order-of-play) Sabalenka was being made to work hard and showed all her new-found patience to get back on terms with a break of her own, to love, for 2-2 and the set went to a tiebreak.

Elena Rybakina stormed to her first Australian Open final with a 7-6(4) 6-3 victory over twice-champion Victoria Azarenka on Thursday.

She thumped down three consecutive aces to hold, then served out to love in her next effort. “Obviously I had quite a few chances that I gave myself. Just being in the final in this kind of tournament is amazing. Elena Rybakina stormed to her first Australian Open final with a 7-6(4) 6-3 victory over twice-champion Victoria Azarenka on Thursday. The fans need not have worried. The atmosphere was unbelievable.

Aryna Sabalenka is due for her major breakthrough. Elena Rybakina has been unflappable. Who has the edge in Saturday's Australian Open final?

The reigning Wimbledon champion has every reason to be full of confidence heading into her second major final in the past seven months. But this time I think I was focusing more on the match, what I have to do, and maybe not to think what's going to come or what's going to happen around." Facing a resurgent Victoria Azarenka in the semifinals, Rybakina was broken three times but 36% of her first serves went unreturned. Before that event, she had been past the Round of 16 at a Slam once. Against World No.1 Iga Swiatek in the fourth round, Rybakina was broken twice, but 32% of her first serves went unreturned. But the 180-degree turnaround on her serve and the work she put in with her coaches, sports psychologist and biomechanical specialist isn't the only reason Sabalenka finally snapped her 0-3 record in Slam semifinals. Rybakina's run to her first major title last summer at Wimbledon was entirely uncharted territory. "I was just trying to hold myself, stay calm, just think about the next point. As Sabalenka said in Adelaide, the competitive tiger still lives inside her, but she's learned to control it. Of the 20 sets she's won, beginning with her title run in Adelaide, she dropped more than four games only six times. Their last match on a hard court came at 2021 Abu Dhabi, where Sabalenka won 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 en route to the title. Rybakina's power comes from her clean and flat ball-striking, one that is based on timing.

Aryna Sabalenka surged into the Australian Open final with a 7-6(1) 6-2 win over unseeded Pole Magda Linette on Thursday to extend the red-hot Belarusian's ...

Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina and rampant world No.5 Aryna Sabalenka will play for the 2023 Australian Open crown...

Best Australian Open result: finalist 2023 "For sure I got a lot of experience from Wimbledon and, to be honest, I just want to come on court and really enjoy the moment, enjoy the atmosphere because it's really amazing," she said. She rallied from 5-3 down and set point in the eighth game to take the first set to a tiebreaker, only to lose it with a wild forehand error on Rybakina's second set point. "It's an incredible atmosphere and I'm super happy to be in the finals and play one more time here." Azarenka was the last player to successfully defend the women's crown at Melbourne Park, going back-to-back in 2012 and 2013, and was bidding to join Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Kim Clijsters as only the fourth mother to win a grand slam singles crown. Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina and rampant world No.5 Aryna Sabalenka will play for the 2023 Australian Open crown after storming to a pair of straight-set semi-final triumphs in Melbourne.

The two women's semi-finals at Australian Open 2023 set the stage for a compelling finale on Saturday.

I'll try my best, fight and hopefully I'm going to win." [Three previous major semi-finals](https://www.rolandgarros.com/en-us/article/us-open-2022-semi-finals-preview-caroline-garcia-ons-jabeur-iga-swiatek-aryna-sabalenka), a trio of three-set defeats. I'm very happy to play here one more time," said the Kazakh youngster, who can climb to world No.8 with the title. I would say it still took me a lot of time. "For sure I got a lot of experience from Wimbledon, to be honest I just want to come on court and enjoy the moment, the atmosphere. [Aryna Sabalenka](https://www.rolandgarros.com/en-us/players/33249-a.sabalenka) made her mark on the Grand Slam Roll of Honour. Here is what happened Down Under at Melbourne Park… "Today it was a little tough for me, different conditions, I couldn’t be super aggressive. "Overall, I'm happy that I managed to win first set, and then it was a bit better in the second. [Rybakina](https://www.rolandgarros.com/en-us/players/38569-e.rybakina) fought off a gallant effort from two-time champion [Victoria Azarenka](https://www.rolandgarros.com/en-us/players/12595-v.azarenka) 7-6(4) 6-3. Day 11 at Australian Open 2023 was headlined by a quartet of women at the peak of their powers. "Being in a final at this kind of tournament is amazing, to feel this atmosphere, to play on this court.

ELENA RYBAKINA will take on Aryna Sabalenka for a big-hitting Australian Open women's final on Saturday. In two similar semi-finals, Wimbledon champion ...

With a regular donation to our monthly Fighting Fund, we can continue to thumb our noses at the fat cats and tell truth to power. The Morning Star is unique, as a lone socialist voice in a sea of corporate media. “There is still one more match to go,” said the Belarusian, who is yet to drop a set in 10 matches in 2023.

Elena Rybakina advanced to the Australian Open finals with a win over Victoria Azarenka. She will face Aryna Sabalenka, who beat Magda Linette in the ...

Sure, Rybakina again faltered for a bit while trying to serve out the victory at 5-2. A mistake-filled tiebreaker ended with Azarenka pushing a forehand wide to cap an 11-shot exchange, and the set belonged to Rybakina. 1 and a three-time runner-up at the U.S. Rybakina encountered similar issues and her occasional inconsistency was encapsulated by the very first game. Rybakina might be seeded just 22nd in Melbourne, and ranked just 25th, but those numbers are rather misleading and not indicative at all of her talent and form. She delivered serves at up to 117 mph and stinging groundstrokes that she used to close points seemingly at will on Thursday. “Kind of hard to digest,” Azarenka said. It wasn’t the case that each and every shot Sabalenka hit landed right on a line, but it must have seemed that way to Linette. Azarenka lost the mark on her strokes, for the most part, making things smoother for Rybakina, while Sabalenka raced to a 6-0 lead in hers. “For sure, they’re very experienced players,” said Rybakina, whose parents and sister have been in town throughout the Australian Open. “In the tiebreaker, I really found my rhythm,” Sabalenka said. Sabalenka is far less cautious, though, and her penchant for high-risk, high-reward play was evident against Linette, who had never been past the third round in 29 appearances at majors.

Aryna Sabalenka said she stopped consulting a psychologist in pre-season and took the mental aspect of her game into her own hands, reaping immediate ...

"I just have to take this responsibility and I just have to deal with that. I was just trying to hold myself, stay calm, just think about the next point," she added. I hope so. Also with my family," Sabalenka added. "I think I know myself quite well. I realised that nobody (other) than me will help me," Sabalenka told reporters.

Elena Rybakina versus Aryna Sabalenka in the Australian Open final offers both contrast and similarity. Reigning Wimbledon champion Rybakina is now in her ...

With Rybakina and Sabalenka, we have two of them. February will be a fascinating month for the WTA. Americans Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff will continue to generate strong results, each aided most of all by a strong work ethic and sheer love of the game. Australian Open Semifinal Previews: Elena Rybakina vs. As a California disruptor, raised to play on fast hard courts, my personal favorites are versatile stylists Jabeur and Daria Kasatkina, as well as early ball-strikers Caroline Garcia and Belinda Bencic. Many more players should be in the thick of things all year long. Rybakina in the semis overcame the sentimental favorite, 33-year-old Victoria Azarenka, 7-6 (4), 6-3. 2 on the tour totem pole The Rally: Rybakina vs. Victoria Azarenka; Aryna Sabalenka vs. 1 in Australia, and No. Sabalenka is a compelling battle for No.

Two of the biggest hitters in women's tennis go toe-to-toe when Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina clash in Saturday's Australian Open final in Melbourne.

"Now I more or less understand what to expect. "I was just trying to hold myself, stay calm, just think about the next point. "I just have to take this responsibility and I just have to deal with that." But she is more than just a big serve and has enough all-court game to ward off most danger -- her wide reach and ability to hit winners off both wings enabling her to get out of trouble. Sabalenka is now so confident of handling her emotions -- demonstrated as she smoothly fought back from 2-0 down in the first set against Linette -- that she has dispensed with her sports psychologist. Belarusian fifth seed Sabalenka is in the form of her life and on the brink of a maiden Grand Slam crown.

Aryna Sabalenka figures she'll feel some jitters when she steps out on court to face Elena Rybakina in the Australian Open final.

But Sabalenka reworked the mechanics on her serve during a five-day session less than a month before the U.S. It’s a style that evokes the way the Williams sisters went about winning when they began to transform the sport — and rather different from the way the current No. Then she found the serve. It’s a significant development for someone who struggled mightily with double-faulting last year, accumulating nearly 400 over the course of the season, including more than 20 in some matches. 1, Iga Swiatek, and her predecessor, the retired Ash Barty, went about things. It’s a big tournament, big final,” Sabalenka said.

A year ago, Aryna Sabalenka's serve was in pieces and she was having to scrape through fraught battles in Australia as her fragile emotions were laid ...

"It's a big tournament, big final. "I was just trying to hold myself, stay calm, just think about the next point. I realised that nobody other than me will help, you know?" she explained to reporters. I think that's OK to feel a little bit nervous," she said. Sabalenka admitted she had to overcome "a lot of really tough moments" in her quarter-final against Donna Vekic, before battling through in 1hr 49min.

Two of the biggest hitters in women's tennis go toe-to-toe when Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina clash in Saturday's Australian Open final in Melbourne.

"Now I more or less understand what to expect. "I was just trying to hold myself, stay calm, just think about the next point. "I just have to take this responsibility and I just have to deal with that." Sabalenka is now so confident of handling her emotions – demonstrated as she smoothly fought back from 2-0 down in the first set against Linette – that she has dispensed with her sports psychologist. [Order of Play ](https://supersport.com/tennis/content/6fe8954d-93e9-4026-a196-ffa55f142c25/aus-open-23-order-of-play) Belarusian fifth seed Sabalenka is in the form of her life and on the brink of a maiden Grand Slam crown.

Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina plays in her second final in the past three Grand Slam tournaments when she meets No. 5 Aryana Sabalenka for the ...

Sabalenka is a 24-year-old from Belarus who is seeded fifth. Rybakina is a 23-year-old from Kazakhstan who is seeded 22nd at Melbourne Park. [Elena Rybakina](https://apnews.com/article/wimbledon-sports-aryna-sabalenka-elena-rybakina-melbourne-43d2ff9276c7accb47d659dea4c77411) plays in her second final in the past three Grand Slam tournaments when she meets No.

Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina began her Australian Open campaign on the outer courts at Melbourne Park but the 22nd seed is now just one step away from ...

"Let's talk about that if I win it," she said. I knew I have to focus on every point. It was great tennis." "I don't like to speak about 'if'. "For sure they're very experienced players. Register for free to Reuters and know the full story

Saturday's contest is, after all, Sabalenka's first singles title match at a Grand Slam tournament. Rybakina is more familiar with this stage: She won ...

But Sabalenka reworked the mechanics on her serve during a five-day session less than a month before the U.S. ... Just less negative emotions.” Rybakina rarely lets so much as the slightest trace of emotion show, even when she clinched the championship at the All England Club. It’s a style that evokes the way the Williams sisters went about winning when they began to transform the sport — and rather different from the way the current No. It’s a significant development for someone who struggled mightily with double-faulting last year, accumulating nearly 400 over the course of the season, including more than 20 in some matches. Sabalenka is a 24-year-old from Belarus; Rybakina is a 23-year-old who was born in Moscow and began representing Kazakhstan in 2018 when that country offered to fund her tennis career. “If you’re going to start trying to do something about that, it’s going to become bigger, you know?” She is seeded No.

Aryna Sabalenka figures she'll feel some jitters when she steps out on court to face Elena Rybakina in the Australian Open final.

5; Rybakina is No. She is seeded No. "That's OK, to feel little bit nervous.