Aryna Sabalenka Powers Into Fourth Consecutive Australian Open Final
MELBOURNE – World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka continued her absolute dominance at Melbourne Park, defeating Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-3 on Thursday to reach her fourth consecutive Australian Open final. The victory, achieved in 1 hour and 16 minutes at Rod Laver Arena, extends Sabalenka’s winning streak to 10 matches to start the 2026 season.
First Set: Sabalenka Overcomes Early Controversy
The match began with high intensity as Svitolina, the 12th seed, came out aggressive, earning two break points in the very first game. Sabalenka managed to hold, but the match’s major talking point occurred in the fourth game. Leading 2-1, Sabalenka was assessed a rare hindrance penalty for a late grunt mid-point. Despite an unsuccessful video review and a brief argument with umpire Louise Engzell, Sabalenka channeled her frustration into her game, immediately breaking Svitolina to take a 3-1 lead.
Sabalenka’s power was the defining factor of the opening set, as she hammered 19 winners—nearly triple Svitolina’s tally. She secured a second break in the eighth game, closing the set 6-2 with a backhand winner.
Second Set: Svitolina’s Resurgence Thwarted
The second set saw a brief shift in momentum. Svitolina broke Sabalenka’s serve in the opening game and followed with a hold to love to take a 2-0 lead. However, the top seed quickly regained her composure, winning five consecutive games to seize control of the match.
While Svitolina fought to stay in the match, saving break points and earning one of her own at 2-4, Sabalenka’s serve and groundstrokes proved too heavy. Sabalenka finished the match with 29 total winners compared to Svitolina’s 12. On her first match point, Sabalenka delivered a forehand winner to seal the 6-3 set and the match.
Match Key Statistics
| Statistic | Aryna Sabalenka | Elina Svitolina |
| Aces | 0 | 2 |
| Double Faults | 1 | 3 |
| Winners | 29 | 12 |
| 1st Serve In | 67% | 56% |
| Break Points Won | 4/7 (57%) | 1/4 (25%) |
| Total Points Won | 65 | 46 |
Post-Match Reactions
Following the match, there was no handshake between the two players, consistent with the standard practice between Ukrainian and Belarusian athletes since 2022.
In her on-court interview, Sabalenka praised her opponent’s run: “I’m super happy with the win. She’s such a tough opponent and has been playing incredible tennis the whole week”. Regarding her fourth straight final, she added, “It’s an incredible achievement, but the job’s not done yet”.
Sabalenka will face Rybakina in the final after the Kazakh star defeated USA representative Jessica Pegula in straight sets.
Match review 👇