World women’s number one Aryna Sabalenka will meet Elena Rybakina in a blockbuster Australian Open final. Sabalenka powered past Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-3 to reach her fourth straight Melbourne showpiece.
Sabalenka, a two-time champion, brushed aside brief turbulence to continue her dominant run. Meanwhile, former Wimbledon winner Rybakina booked her place by beating Jessica Pegula 6-3, 7-6 (9-7).
Hindrance Call Sparks Brief Controversy
The match was briefly interrupted by a hindrance call in the opening set. Sabalenka was penalised by chair umpire Louise Azemar Engzell after her grunt during a rally was deemed disruptive.
The rule is designed to prevent players from distracting opponents while attempting a shot, whether through shouting, unusual noises, or actions such as dropping a ball.
Explaining the decision, the umpire told Sabalenka that the sound she made was “not her normal one” and awarded the point to Svitolina. Sabalenka requested a video review, but with no audio available, the call was upheld.
Visibly frustrated, the Belarusian responded with a sarcastic thumbs-down towards the umpire before quickly regaining focus.
Sabalenka Responds in Dominant Fashion
Sabalenka reset swiftly to take control, finishing with 29 winners and dropping just 11 points on serve. The victory extended her winning streak to 11 matches. She also leads the tournament in wins with 172.
Asked about the controversial call, Sabalenka said it sharpened her edge:
“I think it was the wrong call, but whatever. It actually benefited my game. I was more aggressive.”
Rybakina Eyes Revenge in Final Showdown
In the other semi-final, fifth seed Rybakina earned a chance to avenge her 2023 final loss to Sabalenka by holding her nerve in a tense tie-break against Pegula.
She has now won nine straight matches against top-10 opponents and has lost just once in her past 20 outings. Saturday’s final pits two players in ruthless form, with neither having dropped a set. Sabalenka chases a fifth Grand Slam singles title, while Rybakina leads their hard-court head-to-head 6–5.
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