Sabalenka

Fifth seed Aryna Sabalenka outmuscled Donna Vekic 6-3 6-2 in a ferocious battle of big hitters on Wednesday to reach the semi-finals of the Australian Open ...

Sabalenka completed the semi-final line-up after 109 minutes on Rod laver Arena and will play Polish surprise package Magda Linette on Thursday for a place in her first Grand Slam final. MELBOURNE, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Fifth seed Aryna Sabalenka outmuscled Donna Vekic 6-3 6-2 in a ferocious battle of big hitters on Wednesday to reach the semi-finals of the Australian Open for the first time. The 24-year-old, the only top-10 seed left in the draw, took her chances in a physical one-hour first set littered with break points before running away with the second.

Belarusian powerhouse Aryna Sabalenka has defied a poor record against Croatian Donna Vekic to advance to an Australian Open semi-final showdown with Polish ...

“My coaches and I did a really great job, and I’m really thankful to them, because they really put up with a lot of crap.” “It was really difficult, because I felt a lot of times that the misses, the mistakes, were defining me. “I don’t want to get too excited because we’re still in the tournament but I’m super grateful and happy.” “I was able to stay in the game, no matter what.” “I remember the last two matches she won (at the Tokyo Olympics and last year in San Diego),” said Sabalenka. “(Vekic) is a great player and it is tough to play against her.

Aryna Sabalenka's winning streak hit nine thanks to a straight-sets win over Donna Vekic in the Australian Open quarterfinals.

But after Sabalenka denied Vekic three chances for a 4-3 lead, she broke for a second time and served out the set after again erasing a break point. However, Linette has taken out four seeds in five rounds so far in Melbourne. Not only is Sabalenka yet to lose a set at this Australian Open, she has yet to play a three-setter in 2023. I mean, with her, you cannot really count on building the point, staying in the rallies, working your way up. [who upset No.30 seed Karolina Pliskova earlier in the day on Wednesday](https://www.wtatennis.com/news/3037070/linette-ousts-pliskova-in-melbourne-to-make-first-grand-slam-semifinal) to reach her first major semifinal. Sabalenka's streak continues: The Adelaide International 1 champion extended her unbeaten run to nine matches to start the season.

Aryna Sabalenka reached her maiden Australian Open semi-final with a battling 6-3, 6-2 victory over unseeded Donna Vekic on Wednesday at Rod Laver Arena in ...

Sabalenka came into the match as many observers' favourite for a first major. Sabalenka had the momentum and put the Vekic serve under more pressure at the start of the second set, stretching out to a double break for 3-0 as the Croat's double fault count soared to 12. She broke Vekic to love for 3-1 but the Croatian got straight back on serve in the next game, securing it on the first of two more break points.

Sabalenka defeated Donna Vekic while unseeded Linette upset Karolina Pliskova.

Of course it’s way more far in the draw. I’m super happy with the win.” “It was a tough match.

Aryna Sabalenka has progressed into her fourth major singles semi-final and first at the Australian Open, after a straight sets victory over Donna Vekic, writes ...

It kind of boosts all of us, because they also need the reward.” I think I did really well not to panic and still stay in the rally and go for the shots when I had the chance. “We knew that we are on a really good path. That was, I think, something I did the best.” Linette is riding a wave of momentum that has seen her defeat (16) Anett Kontaveit, (19) Ekaterina Alexandrova and (4) Caroline Garcia before knocking off 30th seed Pliskova. That was the key.” “We knew we were doing really good. Bad errors were the theme for Pliskova with her seven double faults proving particularly costly. The atmosphere was unbelievable. Unseeded Magda Linette’s fairytale run at Melbourne Park will continue after she made her way past world former world No. In the process, she’s only dropped one set - to Kontaveit - and has been in the kind of form that will dare her to dream of lifting the title. Thank you, guys, so much.”

Melbourne: Aryna Sabalenka soared into the first Australian Open semifinal of her career with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Croatian Donna Vekic in the quarterfinal ...

She became the third Polish woman in seven years, after world No.1 Iga Swiatek and Agnieszka Radwanska to reach an Australian Open semifinal. Sabalenka, who had never gone beyond the fourth round of the Grand Slam before this year, is yet to drop a set in Melbourne as she extended her unbeaten run to nine matches to start the season. Not only is Sabalenka yet to lose a set at this Australian Open, but she also has yet to play a three-setter in 2023.

Billie Jean King called for Wimbledon to allow Russian and Belarusian players to compete at the All England Club this year as Aryna Sabalenka set up the ...

I was nervous a lot. I was rushing a lot. I will do everything I can to make it happen. I know that Vika will do everything she can to make it happen. If I could do something, of course I would do it, but I cannot do anything. “I hope they do, just keep it the same way the other ones are.

Her first three major semi-finals didn't go the way she wanted, but this version of Aryna Sabalenka is not that player anymore.

“Before I was trying to go for aces, go for crazy shots to get easily out, to get out easily from those situations,” she said. It’s certainly not a guarantee that the fourth Grand Slam semi-final will be the charm, but the trend is in place for Aryna Sabalenka. I think I really believe that this is the only thing that was missing in my game. She’s not in a hurry to get it over with, she’s willing to grind through the pain and the anxiety of the difficult moments. It was obvious today as she fought off the best that Vekic, a player who defeated her in five of their previous six meetings, had to offer. She’s turning over every rock in journey, looking for ways to improve her game. “Right now I’m a little bit more calm on court. Just work for it and go for bigger targets.” I was nervous a lot. Vekic threw everything at Sabalenka in the opening set, earning 10 break points, but she couldn’t sway the scoreline. I was rushing a lot. Sabalenka has talked about her new mindset all month, and after her 6-3, 6-2 victory over Donna Vekic she talked about it again.

Yet to drop a set in nine outings this year, Aryna Sabalenka has every right to feel pretty much untouchable of late, and with good reason.

“So I think it's all about fast feet on the first few shots. “I think it's about first few shots,” she said. I feel like this is the huge difference.” “I want to believe that the way I'm working right now, the way I'm on the court right now, this is the new beginning, and this is the next step,” Sabalenka said. Winners as a percentage of total points won at AO 2023 [fourth-round clash with Swiss Belinda Bencic](https://ausopen.com/articles/news/report-assured-serving-sends-sabalenka-through-against-bencic), Sabalenka offered a glimpse into her more mature game plan this year that had in turn contributed to her eye-watering flow of winners. When it comes to winners as a percentage of total points won, fourth seed Caroline Garcia came in at a distant second place with 39.86 per cent – 118 winners from 296 points won. Sabalenka’s percentage of winners among total points won at AO 2023 is well above Ostapenko's tour-high rate 37 per cent in this stat category in 2022. [ahead of her conqueror, Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina](https://ausopen.com/articles/news/report-cool-rybakina-sweeps-past-ostapenko-and-semis), whose 128 winners came amid 342 total points, at 37.43 per cent. Of the 343 points Sabalenka has won so far at AO 2023, 163 have been thanks to winners – a strike rate of 47.52 per cent. Her success rate of 46.91 per cent – 38 winners from 81 total points won – against the Croatian was only marginally lower than her rate for the tournament. No other player in the second week of this year’s Australian Open has clocked anywhere close to her staggering tournament-high tally of winners as a percentage of total points won.

Unseeded Pole Magda Linette and No.5 seed Aryna Sabalenka have advanced to a semi-final showdown at the Australian Open.

Just work for it and go for bigger targets'. "But now I keep saying 'no, work for it. Best Australian Open result: semi-finals 2023 "I don't like this word 'confidence' - for me it sounds like to be cocky, " she said. "My coaches and I did a really great job, and I'm really thankful to them, because they really put up with a lot of crap." "I don't want to get too excited because we're still in the tournament but I'm super grateful and happy."

Unheralded Magda Linette shocks former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova to reach her first Grand Slam semis, while Aryna Sabalenka outmuscles Donna Vekic in a ...

Obviously the serve was not great today at all.” That was the key.” “I think through all my life I’ve been taking mistakes, losses very personally,” she explained. “It’s so much and I can’t really believe it,” the 30-year-old said. So I’m really grateful.” 1 Karolina Pliskova to move into the semifinals, where she will play fifth seed Aryna Sabalenka.

A disbelieving Magda Linette continued her dream Australian Open run on Wednesday by stunning former world number one Karolina Pliskova to set up a ...

Magda Linette beats Karolina Pliskova with sets of 6-3, 7-5, Aryna Sabalenka ahead of Donna Vekic 6-3, 6-2 in Melbourne - Anadolu Agency.

[Anadolu Agency website contains only a portion of the news stories offered to subscribers in the AA News Broadcasting System (HAS), and in summarized form. Both Linette and Sabalenka reached the semifinal stage in the Australian Open for the first time in their careers each. Aryna Sabalenka and Magda Linette on Wednesday qualified for the 2023 Australian Open semifinals in women's singles.

Magda Linette triumphed 6-3 7-5 over former world No 1 Karolina Pliskova in their quarter-final in Melbourne; the Pole now faces Aryna Sabalenka, ...

That was the key." "I think through all my life I've been taking mistakes, losses very personally. This will stay with me for life, so I'm really grateful.

Aryna Sabalenka admits she's still impacted by last year's Wimbledon ban, but this scenario could wash it ...

Sabalenka has already voiced her displeasure at [being forced to play under a neutral flag](https://wwos.nine.com.au/tennis/australian-open-2023-display-of-russia-flag-condemned-by-ukraine/7379a123-2b52-41d8-837f-3015fbef0161) at Melbourne Park, and opened up on the impact of the two bans. "It's just going to be huge. "What can I say? Like, I have zero control. "There (at Wimbledon) was tough and it's still tough. [clicking here](https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=wwos&redirect_uri=https://wwos.nine.com.au&newsletter=true)! "That's going to be history. [Australian Open](https://wwos.nine.com.au/tennis/australian-open) titles. [banned from Wimbledon last year](https://wwos.nine.com.au/tennis/news-2022-wimbledon-bans-russian-players-daniil-medvedev-reaction-war-on-ukraine/c6c826cd-8186-45e1-8215-44b8bc0ebf68). [Victoria Azarenka](https://wwos.nine.com.au/tennis/victoria-azarenka). [9NOW](https://9now.app.link/fPnKQ6gxndb) [The moment long-time Djokovic myth was busted](https://wwos.nine.com.au/tennis/australian-open-2023-novak-djokovic-hamstring-injury-jim-courier-defends/53d92a60-4cb5-4a3c-aa03-2a0d9661ee1c)