US EditionA powerful rivalry: Sabalenka and Svitolina set for Australian Open semifinal showdown
Aryna Sabalenka and Elina Svitolina reached the Australian Open semifinals amid extreme heat protocols, with the roof closure triggered after the temperature hit over 42°C.
- On Tuesday, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka beat 18-year-old Iva Jovic 6-3, 6-0 while Elina Svitolina stunned Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-2 in 59 minutes to set a semifinal clash.
- Buoyed by warmup titles, both players arrived in Melbourne with strong early-season form, as Elina Svitolina is on a 10-match winning streak after winning Auckland, and Aryna Sabalenka seeks a third Australian crown with 22 career titles.
- Sabalenka established early control, going up 3-0 and finishing with aces on match point, while officials activated the Extreme Heat Policy and closed Rod Laver Arena's roof after a temperature peak of just over 42 C.
- Sixth-Seeded Jessica Pegula completed the women's final four by beating Amanda Anisimova 6-2, 7-6 and will face Elena Rybakina, while top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz moved closer to a career Grand Slam.
- Off-Court tensions surface as players follow a no-handshake practice between Ukraine and Russia/Belarus competitors, but both Elina Svitolina and Aryna Sabalenka say they want focus on tennis and peace.
19 Articles
19 Articles
Sydney Morning Herald
The AgeAustralian Open 2026 LIVE updates: Aussies in doubles semis; Svitolina takes on world No.1 Sabalenka; Pegula to battle against Rybakina
The 2026 Australian Open reaches day 12 at Melbourne Park with matches from 11am AEDT and this live blog will include results, live match updates, pictures, tennis news and colour stories. Coverage will include both the day and night sessions. Jason Kubler, Marc Polmans, Luke Johnson, Jan Zielinski, Jessica Pegula, Elena Rybakina;, Aryna Sabalenka, Elina Svitolina, are among the players on court during day nine. Nine and Stan Sport will be broad…
Elina Svitolina’s Tactics Set to Test Aryna Sabalenka’s Firepower in Australian Open Semifinal
The Australian Open is heading into its final four. Heading into her first-ever semifinals at Melbourne Park, Elina Svitolina will face Aryna Sabalenka. The Ukrainian has put her best foot forward at this tournament and it’s delivered the results. However, facing a two-time champion is no cake walk. What will Svitolina bring to the court against the Belarusian? After years of heartbreak in Melbourne, Svitolina has finally cracked the code. On Tu…
Sabalenka and Svitolina set for AO semi
Aryna Sabalenka will aim to take a huge stride towards a third Australian Open title in four years when the Belarusian top seed clashes with Ukraine's Elina Svitolina on Thursday in a semi-final simmering with geopolitical tension. Both players will navigate the political sensitivities that have cast a shadow over their meetings on the tour since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, for which Belarus has been a staging ground, and there will be…
Tennis-Sabalenka and Svitolina set for politically-charged Australian Open semi-final
MELBOURNE, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Aryna Sabalenka will aim to take a huge stride towards a third Australian Open title in four years when the Belarusian top seed clashes with Ukraine's Elina Svitolina on Thursday in a semi-final simmering with geopolitical tension. Read full story
Clash of Tennis Titans: Sabalenka vs. Svitolina at the Australian Open Semifinals | Sports-Games
Aryna Sabalenka and Elina Svitolina are set to face off in the Australian Open women's semifinals. Both are on 10-match winning streaks in 2026, with Sabalenka holding a 5-1 advantage in their previous meetings. The match is steeped in geopolitical tension due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Associated Press News
A powerful rivalry: Sabalenka and Svitolina set for Australian Open semifinal showdown
Aryna Sabalenka and Elina Svitolina are set to meet in the Australian Open women's semifinals. Sabalenka, a 27-year-old from Belarus, is aiming for her third Australian title in four years.
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