Two-time champion Aryna Sabalenka reaches her fourth straight final in Melbourne after a dominant win over Elina Svitolina at the 2026 Australian Open

A. Sabalenka vs E. Svitolina | Australian Open
Women's Singles | Semi-final | 29.01.2026 | Rod Laver Arena
Finished
A. Sabalenka (1)
E. Svitolina (12)
6
6
2
3
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10:05
SABALENKA ON REACHING A FOURTH AO FINAL IN A ROW WITHOUT DROPPING A SET
"I just cannot believe that honestly," she said during her post-match interview on court.
"That’s an incredible achievement but the job is not done yet. Super happy with the win, she’s a tough opponent, (she) was playing really incredible tennis throughout the whole week and, yeah, just super happy to be through this tough match."
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Image credit: Getty Images

10:02
SABALENKA STATS
  • Sabalenka has reached an eighth WTA-level final on Australian soil – since 2000, only Serena Williams (11) and Justine Henin (10) have reached more.
  • In the Open Era, only Steffi Graf and Evonne Goolagong (4 each) have reached more Women's Singles Fs at the AO without dropping a set than Aryna Sabalenka (3).

09:58
Match
GAME, SET AND MATCH! - SABALENKA 6-2 6-3 SVITOLINA
Aryna Sabalenka books a spot in her fourth straight Australian Open final.
The two-time champion was too strong despite a gutsy effort from the 12th seed, Svitolina, who saw her 10-match winning run at the start of 2026 come to an end.
Sabalenka serves it out to 15 to seal victory on her first match point in one hour and 16 minutes.
The world number one will face Elena Rybakina or Jessica Pegula in Saturday’s final.
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'Sabalenka is the Sinner' of women's tennis - Murray on 'amazing' top seed

Video credit: TNT Sports

Stream every match of the 2026 Australian Open live and on-demand on discovery+
09:57
SABALENKA 6-2 5-3 SVITOLINA
Svitolina digs out a hold to 30 from 40-0 up after a double fault and backhand long under pressure had threatened her bid to pose the serve-out question.
09:54
VIDEO: THE HINDRANCE CALL SEEMS LIKE A LONG TIME AGO NOW
Sabalenka hasn't allowed the early controversy to distract her from her charge towards what is looking like a fourth final in a row in Melbourne.
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'She's trying to make a point here' - Watch as Sabalenka debates grunting with umpire

Video credit: TNT Sports

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Watch as Sabalenka accused of 'hindrance' with grunting - 'This is a strong call by the umpire'

Video credit: TNT Sports

Stream every match of the 2026 Australian Open live and on-demand on discovery+
09:53
SABALENKA 6-2 5-2 SVITOLINA
The scoreline is an unfair reflection of this semi-final.
Svitolina has had her moments with plenty of close games, but Sabalenka has just had the edge in the big moments.
It’s the same again here as the Ukrainian sizzles away a backhand return winner to earn a break point, only to be thwarted by clutch work from Aryna, who comes up big on the first serve to turn it around and consolidate the insurance via deuce.
09:48
Break
BREAK! – SABALENKA 6-2 4-2 SVITOLINA
Sabalenka arrows away a backhand down the line to break again and make it four games in a row.
Svitolina had mixed up the play with a slice to the Saba forehand to lure an error at Pulp (30-30).
It’s a ploy the Ukrainian should perhaps try more to disrupt the top seed's timing and rhythm, but she resorts to forehand-to-forehand baseline battling and wails in disgust as she blinks first.
It all goes pear-shaped at deuce and it’s a very, very long way back here…
09:42
SABALENKA 6-2 3-2 SVITOLINA
Sabalenka was almost miffed about that sloppy start to the second set and has really moved through the gears now.
The world number one clouts down a succession of massive serves and hits the front on the board with another love hold.
09:40
Break
BREAK! – SABALENKA 6-2 2-2 SVITOLINA
Sabalenka turns the screw as extra heat and depth in a backhand-to-backhand exchange breeches Elina’s defences.
The top seed then earns two break back points with a deep return down the line and makes it count on the first when she overpowers her opponent again, dragging her way off court and fizzing away a crosscourt backhand winner.
09:36
SABALENKA 6-2 1-2 SVITOLINA
Sabalenka quickly re-focuses on serve and blitzes through a clean hold to get on the board.
09:33
SABALENKA 6-2 0-2 SVITOLINA
Sorry… Not sorry!
Svitolina’s backhand down the line clips the tape and bounces over as the net once again reveals itself to be of Ukrainian origin!
It seals a love hold too with the 12th seed counter punching brilliantly and landing some very helpful first serves to ensure she backs up that early break.
09:32
Break
BREAK! – SABALENKA 6-2 0-1 SVITOLINA
It’s a sloppy start to Set 2 from the world number one.
It’s unforced leaks galore as the Belarusian struggles to find the island from 30-15 up in a game where she also double faulted.
Svitolina hit one super backhand winner but didn’t have to do too much to earn a morale-boosting break.
09:25
Set
SET! - SABALENKA 6-2 SVITOLINA
The top seed moves to within a set of reaching a fourth straight final in Melbourne.
The alarm bells began to blare for Elina when she dumped a tame backhand into the net to cough up three set points.
The Ukrainian resisted well on the first and got lucky with a huge net cord on the second, but Aryna made it count in style on the third with a stunning crosscourt backhand to clinch a 41-minute opener.
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Image credit: Getty Images

09:21
SABALENKA 5-2 SVITOLINA
It’s not to be for the 12th seed.
The Ukrainian unloads on the return to the gasps and delight of the crowd at Rod Laver Arena to threaten at deuce from 40-15 down.
Sabalenka resets to regain control and Elina can’t keep the heat on as she misfires off the backhand.
09:19
COULD A GOAT BE RETURNING TO TENNIS?
The 23-time major winner won't confirm or deny whether she could be back on a competitive court sometime in the not-so-distant future.
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29/01/2026 at 14:29

09:16
SABALENKA 4-2 SVITOLINA
Sabalenka corks winners off both flanks to earn the chance of a double break from 30-15 down.
The Belarusian falters off the backhand to allow Svitolina to scamper to deuce and this time the Ukrainian grits her way through as she fires down a timely ace to duck out of danger.
09:09
SABALENKA 4-1 SVITOLINA
Svitolina looks for a instant reply but has brain freeze searching for break points at 15-30 when she opts for a dropper from a strong mid-court position that droops tamely into the net.
Sabalenka seizes upon the let off and consolidates when her opponent fizzes a forehand just long.
09:08
VIDEO: SABALENKA INVOLVED IN CONTROVERSIAL HINDRANCE CALL
Stream every match of the 2026 Australian Open live and on-demand on discovery+
09:05
Break
BREAK! – SABALENKA 3-1 SVITOLINA
Drama!
The umpire intervenes during the opening point with a call of hindrance.
It comes after Sabalenka groans strangely when she miss-hits a shot that then drops in.
The top seed is not happy and asks for a video review. The umpire sticks to her guns and in the end the point goes to Elina.
The Belarusian throws in a variety of grunts throughout the next rally and continues her beef with the umpire after winning it.
Svitolina comes under the cosh but digs out a stunning cross-court pick-up on the run and survives a near miss from Aryna to earn game point.
Sabalenka presses to deuce with a forehand return winner down the line and refuses to budge as Elina sees more opportunities to escape go begging.
A break starts to feel inevitable and after taking her tally of forehand winners in the game to a resounding five, the two-time champion snares the breakthrough when Svitolina’s defensive lob drops way long.  
08:54
SABALENKA 2-1 SVITOLINA
Sabalenka finds her groove early in the game as the big first serve and a pair of backhand winners do the damage.
Svitolina offers a brief riposte but then drills a few millimetres long off the backhand to allow Aryna to keep her nose in front early doors.