Sabalenka

Elena Rybakina powered her way past two-time champion Victoria Azarenka to reach the Australian Open final, winning 7-6 6-3 in just over an hour and 40 ...

I couldn’t play aggressive tennis, the ball wasn’t going as much, but I tried my best to win.” I’m super happy to be in the final and play one more time here. Rybakina has beaten former grand slam champions in consecutive matches to reach this stage – world No. The world No. Rybakina found her first serve again in the second set and broke Azarenka twice to take a commanding 5-2 lead and give herself a chance to serve for the match. However, that would be as good as it would get for Linette in the second as Sabalenka maintained the level she found in the tie break to win four straight games and race into a 4-1 lead. When everything clicks, the Russian-born Kazakh’s game is almost unstoppable and a marvel to watch. I’ll fight and, hopefully, I’m going to win.” “I’m super happy and proud, with my team also because without them it would be difficult to be here,” Rybakina said in her post-match interview. However, the 2022 Wimbledon winner perhaps started to feel the magnitude of the occasion for the first time, as her first serve all of a sudden deserted her to allow Azarenka to break back at the first time of asking and quickly level the scores at 5-5. We’ll see how it’s going to go – for sure, I’ll try my best. The momentum swung back and forth in the opening set and the more experienced Azarenka looked as though she had the upper hand going into the tie break, but Rybakina found her serve when she needed it most to take a crucial lead.

Aryna Sabalenka surged into the Australian Open final with a 7-6(1) 6-2 win over unseeded Pole Magda Linette on Thursday to extend the red-hot Belarusian's ...

The fifth seed heaped the pressure on Linette's serve in the first-set tiebreak with her power and precision to pull away and wrapped it up when her opponent sent one long, before taking full control in the next set with an early break. Adelaide champion Sabalenka has not dropped a set en route to 10 wins in 2023 but made a poor start in chilly conditions on Rod Laver Arena, dropping her serve to love in the opening game before breaking back with two blistering backhands. MELBOURNE, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Aryna Sabalenka surged into the Australian Open final with a 7-6(1) 6-2 win over unseeded Pole Magda Linette on Thursday to extend the red-hot Belarusian's unbeaten start to the year and book a clash with Elena Rybakina.

After Rybakina saw off Victoria Azarenka, Sabalenka reached her first grand slam singles final with a 7-6 (1) 6-2 victory over unseeded Pole Magda Linette.

I didn’t start really well and in the tie-break I found my rhythm, started trusting myself and going for my shots.” But there Sabalenka was untouchable, opening up a 6-0 lead, and in the second set she was simply too strong for Linette, who has enjoyed a breakthrough grand slam at the age of 30. It was to Linette’s credit that, playing in the biggest match of her life, she did not allow herself to be completely overpowered and held her serve to force a first-set tie-break.

Aryna Sabalenka will face Elena Rybakina in the Australian Open final after overpowering unseeded Magda Linette 7-6 (7/1), 6-2 in a semi-final played in ...

It was great tennis from me in the tiebreak." holding for a 3-1 advantage. Sabalenka was being made to work hard and showed all her new-found patience to get back on terms with a break of her own, to love, for 2-2 and the set went to a tiebreak.

Aryna Sabalenka has reached her first Grand Slam final after overcoming surprise Australian Open semi-finalist Magda Linette 7-6(1) 6-2.

4 Caroline Garcia and former world No. I didn’t start well, but found my rhythm in the tie-break. Linette, who had beaten world No. "Linette is an unbelievable player, and played really well. Stream the 2023 Australian Open live on Australian Open

Aryna Sabalenka scored her first Grand Slam semifinal win at the fourth attempt in straight sets over Magda Linette.

"That means we are really on a good track, like we have a really good structure of what I'm going to do on the court. "On the pre-season I spoke to my psychologist saying, 'Listen, I feel like I have to deal with that by myself, because every time hoping that someone will fix my problem, it's not fixing my problem. We are really happy it's working and just the beginning." However, Sabalenka served out the match at the first time of asking, converting her fourth match point with a solid one-two punch. "[After the first game,] probably before I would start screaming on everybody, feeling bad, starting to overhit balls. I was just trying to hold myself, stay calm, just think about the next point. "Actually, I'm not that boring, I think. The longest match winning streak of her career to date is 15, encompassing three titles at Ostrava 2020, Linz 2020 and Abu Dhabi 2021. But with Linette serving at 2-1, 40-0, Sabalenka calmed her game down, and broke back for 2-2 with some patient point construction. She becomes the fifth player in the Open Era to reach a major final following three or more semifinal losses, joining Gabriela Sabatini, Zina Garrison, Lindsay Davenport and Jennifer Capriati. Sabalenka has won all three of their previous meetings in three sets: at Wuhan 2019, Abu Dhabi 2021 and Wimbledon 2021. Linette maintained her high level through the rest of the set, but Sabalenka's weight of shot enabled her to kick up a gear and dominate the tiebreak.

MELBOURNE — Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina reached her second final in the past three Grand Slam tournaments by beating Victoria Azarenka 7-6 (4), ...

Sure, Rybakina again faltered for a bit while trying to serve out the victory at 5-2. A mistake-filled tiebreaker ended with Azarenka pushing a forehand wide to cap an 11-shot exchange, and the set belonged to Rybakina. Rybakina encountered similar issues and her occasional inconsistency was encapsulated by the very first game. 1 and a three-time runner-up at the U.S. Rybakina might be seeded just 22nd in Melbourne, and ranked just 25th, but those numbers are rather misleading and not indicative at all of her talent and form. “Kind of hard to digest,” Azarenka said. She delivered serves at up to 117 mph and stinging groundstrokes that she used to close points seemingly at will on Thursday. It wasn’t the case that each and every shot Sabalenka hit landed right on a line, but it must have seemed that way to Linette. Azarenka lost the mark on her strokes, for the most part, making things smoother for Rybakina, while Sabalenka raced to a 6-0 lead in hers. “For sure, they’re very experienced players,” said Rybakina, whose parents and sister have been in town throughout the Australian Open. “In the tiebreaker, I really found my rhythm,” Sabalenka said. Sabalenka is far less cautious, though, and her penchant for high-risk, high-reward play was evident against Linette, who had never before been past the third round in 29 appearances at majors.

What all seemed so different, so daunting, even, about trying to win a Grand Slam title to Elena Rybakina a little more than six months ago is now coming ...

Sure, Rybakina again faltered for a bit while trying to serve out the victory at 5-2. A mistake-filled tiebreaker ended with Azarenka pushing a forehand wide to cap an 11-shot exchange, and the set belonged to Rybakina. It was breezy and chilly at Rod Laver Arena from the start of Rybakina vs. Rybakina encountered similar issues and her occasional inconsistency was encapsulated by the very first game. 1 and a three-time runner-up at the U.S. Rybakina might be seeded just 22nd in Melbourne, and ranked just 25th, but those numbers are rather misleading and not indicative at all of her talent and form. It wasn't the case that each and every shot Sabalenka hit landed right on a line, but it must have seemed that way to Linette. Azarenka lost the mark on her strokes, for the most part, making things smoother for Rybakina, while Sabalenka raced to a 6-0 lead in hers. Her performance was particularly noteworthy against a returner and defender as established on hard courts as Azarenka, a former No. She delivered serves at up to 117 mph (189 kph) and stinging groundstrokes that she used to close points seemingly at will on Thursday. "For sure, they're very experienced players,'' said Rybakina, whose parents and sister have been in town throughout the Australian Open. Sabalenka is far less cautious, though, and her penchant for high-risk, high-reward play was evident against Linette, who had never before been past the third round in 29 appearances at majors.

Britain's Alfie Hewitt is on course for a potential double after reaching the wheelchair singles and doubles finals.

Following his singles success, Hewitt then booked his place in the doubles final with playing partner Gordon Reid following a 6-4, 6-4 win against Daisuke Arai and Takashi Sanada. The world’s no1 player enjoyed a comfortable 6-1, 6-1 victory over Japan’s Takuya Miki to reach his third straight final at Melbourne Park, where he is bidding for his first title. Azarenka’s countrywoman Aryna Sabalenka fared better in her own semi-final against Magda Linette to reach the first Grand Slam showpiece of her career.

Aryna Sabalenka reached her first grand-slam final with an impressive 7-6 (1), 6-2 victory over Magda Linette.

“She’s playing great tennis, super aggressive and she already got one grand slam so she has kind of had this experience playing the final. But Sabalenka held her nerve and found her range, breaking back to 2-2 before playing game for game until the tie-break. The Pole’s defensive skills absorbed much of the barrage and her footwork allowed her to redirect what she had soaked up to the desired location, particularly from her backhand. In the bowels of Rod Laver Arena, Sabalenka completed warm-up drills with a swiss ball and the look of a player loose and unperturbed about the moment of truth that awaited. It might have been that she had won all 18 sets she had played in 2023 and was not about to drop one now. The first-set tie-break said it all – Magda Linette lost it 7-1 and she had not done anything wrong.

Aryna Sabalenka will take on Elena Rybakina in a power battle in the final of the Australian Open.

"It's an incredible atmosphere and I'm super happy to be in the finals and play one more time here. For sure I'll try my best, I'll fight, and hopefully I'm going to win." I didn't start really well and in the tie-break I found my rhythm, started trusting myself and going for my shots."

Aryna Sabalenka scored her first Grand Slam semifinal win at the fourth attempt in straight sets over Magda Linette at the Australian Open.

"That means we are really on a good track, like we have a really good structure of what I'm going to do on the court. "On the pre-season I spoke to my psychologist saying, 'Listen, I feel like I have to deal with that by myself, because every time hoping that someone will fix my problem, it's not fixing my problem. We are really happy it's working and just the beginning." However, Sabalenka served out the match at the first time of asking, converting her fourth match point with a solid one-two punch. "[After the first game,] probably before I would start screaming on everybody, feeling bad, starting to overhit balls. I was just trying to hold myself, stay calm, just think about the next point. "Actually, I'm not that boring, I think. The longest match winning streak of her career to date is 15, encompassing three titles at Ostrava 2020, Linz 2020 and Abu Dhabi 2021. But with Linette serving at 2-1, 40-0, Sabalenka calmed her game down, and broke back for 2-2 with some patient point construction. She becomes the fifth player in the Open Era to reach a major final following three or more semifinal losses, joining Gabriela Sabatini, Zina Garrison, Lindsay Davenport and Jennifer Capriati. Sabalenka has won all three of their previous meetings in three sets: at Wuhan 2019, Abu Dhabi 2021 and Wimbledon 2021. Linette maintained her high level through the rest of the set, but Sabalenka's weight of shot enabled her to kick up a gear and dominate the tiebreak.

Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina will face Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in Saturday's Australian Open women's singles final after both won their semifinal...

Sure, Rybakina again faltered for a bit while trying to serve out the victory at 5-2. A mistake-filled tiebreaker ended with Azarenka pushing a forehand wide to cap an 11-shot exchange, and the set belonged to Rybakina. It was breezy and chilly at Rod Laver Arena from the start of Rybakina vs. Rybakina encountered similar issues and her occasional inconsistency was encapsulated by the very first game. 1 and a three-time runner-up at the U.S. Rybakina might be seeded just 22nd in Melbourne, and ranked just 25th, but those numbers are rather misleading and not indicative at all of her talent and form. It wasn't the case that each and every shot Sabalenka hit landed right on a line, but it must have seemed that way to Linette. “Kind of hard to digest,” Azarenka said. Azarenka lost the mark on her strokes, for the most part, making things smoother for Rybakina, while Sabalenka raced to a 6-0 lead in hers. “For sure, they’re very experienced players,” said Rybakina, whose parents and sister have been in town throughout the Australian Open. “In the tiebreaker, I really found my rhythm,” Sabalenka said. Sabalenka is far less cautious, though, and her penchant for high-risk, high-reward play was evident against Linette, who had never before been past the third round in 29 appearances at majors.

Sabalenka reached her first grand slam singles final with a 7-6 (1) 6-2 victory.

“She’s playing great tennis, super aggressive and she already got one grand slam so she has kind of had this experience playing the final. The Pole’s defensive skills absorbed much of the barrage, and her footwork allowed her to redirect what she had soaked up to the desired location, particularly from her backhand. But Sabalenka held her nerve and found her range, breaking back to level at 2-2 before playing game for game until the tie-break. After Linette held she set about serving out the match, following an ace with another of those fearfully fast forehands she put down to “good genetics”. It may have been that she had won all 18 sets she had played thus far in 2023 and was not about to drop one now. Aryna Sabalenka generally does not shift through the gears, mainly because she starts at full throttle and keeps her foot down for the entirety of matches.

Aryna Sabalenka said she stopped consulting a psychologist in pre-season and took the mental aspect of her game into her own hands, reaping immediate ...

"I just have to take this responsibility and I just have to deal with that. I was just trying to hold myself, stay calm, just think about the next point," she added. I hope so. Also with my family," Sabalenka added. "I think I know myself quite well. I realised that nobody (other) than me will help me," Sabalenka told reporters.

Aryna Sabalenka takes the opening set on a tie-break with 'too much power' against Magda Linette at the Australian Open. Stream the 2023 Australian Open ...

Aryna Sabalenka takes the opening set on a tie-break with 'too much power' against Magda Linette at the Australian Open. Aryna Sabalenka takes the opening set on a tie-break with 'too much power' against Magda Linette at Australian Open Stream the 2023 Australian Open live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.co.uk

Elena Rybakina stormed to her first Australian Open final with a 7-6(4) 6-3 win over Victoria Azarenka on Thursday, wearing the twice champion down in a ...

as she put the match back on serve. "I'm super happy and proud. The errors piled up as Azarenka dropped serve again and she all but surrendered with a wild forehand to fall 5-2 behind. After that start, it was a surprise when Azarenka picked her off at the net to break her in the fifth game. The 22nd-seeded Rybakina was broken as she served for the set but Azarenka double-faulted to concede three match points in the next game, allowing the Kazakh to close out an emphatic win. In a match of wild momentum swings, Rybakina held her nerve as the 24th-seeded Belarusian Azarenka foundered in a messy first set tiebreak then dropped serve twice to fall 5-2 behind in the second set.

MELBOURNE, Australia — (AP) — What all seemed so different, so daunting, even, about trying to win a Grand Slam title to Elena Rybakina a little more than ...

Sure, Rybakina again faltered for a bit while trying to serve out the victory at 5-2. A mistake-filled tiebreaker ended with Azarenka pushing a forehand wide to cap an 11-shot exchange, and the set belonged to Rybakina. It was breezy and chilly at Rod Laver Arena from the start of Rybakina vs. Rybakina encountered similar issues and her occasional inconsistency was encapsulated by the very first game. 1 and a three-time runner-up at the U.S. Rybakina might be seeded just 22nd in Melbourne, and ranked just 25th, but those numbers are rather misleading and not indicative at all of her talent and form. It wasn't the case that each and every shot Sabalenka hit landed right on a line, but it must have seemed that way to Linette. Azarenka lost the mark on her strokes, for the most part, making things smoother for Rybakina, while Sabalenka raced to a 6-0 lead in hers. “Kind of hard to digest,” Azarenka said. She delivered serves at up to 117 mph (189 kph) and stinging groundstrokes that she used to close points seemingly at will on Thursday. “In the tiebreaker, I really found my rhythm,” Sabalenka said. Sabalenka is far less cautious, though, and her penchant for high-risk, high-reward play was evident against Linette, who had never before been past the third round in 29 appearances at majors.

MELBOURNE, Australia — It will be strength against strength and power against power in the Australian Open women's singles final on Saturday.

She has beaten three straight Grand Slam singles champions to reach this final: Iga Swiatek, Jelena Ostapenko and Azarenka, a 33-year-old Belarusian who won the Australian Open in 2012 and 2013. Sabalenka is seeded fifth and Rybakina 22nd, but that does not tell the whole tale. And yet her inconsistency and combustibility have, until now, kept her from reaching the top. But after losing her first three Grand Slam singles semifinals, she is now into her first final. “It was great tennis from me in the tiebreak.” The outcomes were strong. Both have lifted their games to new levels since then. The year’s first Grand Slam event runs from Jan. Rybakina, 23, is a quiet intimidator: her big serves and rolling, deep groundstrokes applying constant pressure. Rybakina is self-contained and difficult to read, maintaining an even keel throughout her matches. In this Australian Open, 16 to Jan.

The big-hitting pair both came through their semi-finals in straight sets on Thursday, with Wimbledon champion Rybakina beating Victoria Azarenka 7-6 (4) 6-3 ...

[January 26, 2023] Stoiber takes on Mirra Andreeva in the semi-finals of the girls’ singles while Hewett and Gordon Reid are in the wheelchair men’s doubles final. [January 6, 2023]

A year ago, Aryna Sabalenka's serve was in pieces and she was having to scrape through fraught battles in Australia as her fragile emotions were laid ...

"It's a big tournament, big final. "I was just trying to hold myself, stay calm, just think about the next point. I realised that nobody other than me will help, you know?" she explained to reporters. I think that's OK to feel a little bit nervous," she said. Sabalenka admitted she had to overcome "a lot of really tough moments" in her quarter-final against Donna Vekic, before battling through in 1hr 49min.

ELENA RYBAKINA will take on Aryna Sabalenka for a big-hitting Australian Open women's final on Saturday. In two similar semi-finals, Wimbledon champion ...

With a regular donation to our monthly Fighting Fund, we can continue to thumb our noses at the fat cats and tell truth to power. The Morning Star is unique, as a lone socialist voice in a sea of corporate media. “There is still one more match to go,” said the Belarusian, who is yet to drop a set in 10 matches in 2023.

Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina began her Australian Open campaign on the outer courts at Melbourne Park but the 22nd seed is now just one step away from ...

"Let's talk about that if I win it," she said. I knew I have to focus on every point. It was great tennis." "I don't like to speak about 'if'. "For sure they're very experienced players. Register for free to Reuters and know the full story

Two of the biggest hitters in women's tennis go toe-to-toe when Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina clash in Saturday's Australian Open final in Melbourne.

"Now I more or less understand what to expect. "I was just trying to hold myself, stay calm, just think about the next point. "I just have to take this responsibility and I just have to deal with that." But she is more than just a big serve and has enough all-court game to ward off most danger -- her wide reach and ability to hit winners off both wings enabling her to get out of trouble. Sabalenka is now so confident of handling her emotions -- demonstrated as she smoothly fought back from 2-0 down in the first set against Linette -- that she has dispensed with her sports psychologist. Belarusian fifth seed Sabalenka is in the form of her life and on the brink of a maiden Grand Slam crown.

The 24-year-old has been tipped as a future major champion for the last five years but her matches were frequently emotional rollercoasters and her three ...

Coaching is now allowed, and I think she's using it in the best possible way." He defended his conduct, saying: "I think that it's easy to just take clips and then make something controversial. "I think we had a really, really good pre-season. "I think that's OK to feel a little bit nervous," she said. "She understands that one of her biggest weapons is missing, but she's still fighting with anyone. "I realised that nobody other than me will help," she said.

Aryna Sabalenka reaches the final at the 2023 Australian Open after being totally destructive against Magda Linette. Stream the 2023 Australian Open live on ...

Aryna Sabalenka reaches the final at the 2023 Australian Open after being totally destructive against Magda Linette. Aryna Sabalenka reaches the final at Australian Open after being totally destructive against Magda Linette Stream the 2023 Australian Open live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.co.uk

Sabalenka, who is ranked No. 5 in the world, defeated her Polish counterpart in a game that lasted just over one hour and 30 minutes and will now face Elena ...

It was great tennis from me on the tie-break. But the Belarusian is in fine form, and she is yet to drop a single set in the Australian Open Sabalenka will now face Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina (above) in the final on Saturday [Wimbledon](/sport/wimbledon/index.html) champion Elena Rybakina in the final after she beat Victoria Azarenka 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 earlier on Thursday. - She will now face Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the final on Saturday [Aryna Sabalenka](/sport/aryna-sabalenka/index.html) reached the [Australian Open](/sport/australian_open/index.html) final after beating Magda Linette 7-6 (7-1) 6-2.

Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina plays in her second final in the past three Grand Slam tournaments when she meets No. 5 Aryana Sabalenka for the ...

Women’s Doubles Semifinals: No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas beat No. Men’s Singles Semifinals: No.

The 24-year-old will take on Elena Rybakina in the final on Saturday.

Coaching is now allowed, and I think she’s using it in the best possible way.” He defended his conduct, saying: “I think that it’s easy to just take clips and then make something controversial. “I think we had a really, really good pre-season. “It’s a big tournament, big final. “So she understands that she’s actually tough. “I realised that nobody other than me will help,” she said.

The personal evolution for Aryna Sabalenka during this Australian Open can be attributed to a host of improvements, but none bigger than taking her time ...

“It’s good that I kind of breakthrough in the semifinals, but there is one more match to go. At the WTA Finals in Fort Worth back in November, Sabalenka hit only two double faults -- but they cost her a pivotal tiebreak and, ultimately, a loss to Garcia. It was a walk-off forehand crosscourt winner, but it also marked the personal evolution in progress this fortnight. It was a microcosm of her recent career -- going for too much when it mattered most. In the past, when the heat was on in the majors, Sabalenka often found herself out of her comfort zone. The secret of her success can be found in that deep breath, for in the span of an offseason, Sabalenka has achieved a remarkable makeover. Sabalenka says she’s playing a “boring” brand of tennis. Later at the US Open, Sabalenka lost another three-set match, to 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez. The only seeded players Sabalenka has beaten are No.12 Belinda Bencic and No.26 Elise Mertens. [Advantage Rybakina or Sabalenka in Australian Open final?](https://www.wtatennis.com/news/3038811/advantage-rybakina-or-sabalenka-in-australian-open-final-) [Coaches Corner: Serve, first strike will be key in Australian Open final](https://www.wtatennis.com/news/3039194/coaches-corner-serve-first-strike-will-be-key-in-australian-open-final) [Sabalenka vs. The next swing was forceful but measured, a rare second-serve ace, and Sabalenka sailed off to a 7-6 (1), 6-2 victory that delivered her to a new place. After three failed visits to a major semifinal, she finds herself in the last match of the Australian Open, Saturday (7:30 p.m., 3:30 a.m.