Aryna Sabalenka will take on Zheng Qinwen in the Australian Open final after the pair won their semifinal encounters on Thursday night.
Sabalenka continued her largely dominant campaign Down Under, defeating Coco Gauff in two tight sets, while Zheng defeated qualifier Dayana Yastremska in a match that saw drastic momentum swings throughout.
The pair’s only professional meeting came in the quarterfinals of last year’s US Open, with Sabalenka winning comfortably.
Meanwhile, Aussie star Matt Ebden and Rohan Bopanna are into the men’s doubles final as the former helped to keep an absurd green and gold streak remain intact.
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DEFENDING CHAMP ON TRACK FOR 11-YEAR FIRST AS US STAR ‘CRUSHED’
Aryna Sabalenka is one victory away from winning back-to-back Australian Open titles after exacting revenge on Coco Gauff in straight sets.
Having been beaten in the final of the US Open by Gauff, Sabalenka got the better of her adversary in Melbourne after winning 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 in one hour and 42 minutes.
The victory over Gauff puts Sabalenka on track to become the first female to win consecutive Australian Open singles titles since Victoria Azarenka in 2013.
It was a frenetic contest that flittered between the shocking and sublime, with both clubbing thunderous winners as well as simple errors.
The match began at a blistering pace, with both breaking and holding serve across the opening four games inside 12 minutes.
As the match fell into some form of a rhythm, Gauff’s serve did not.
If anything, it was off-rhythm from the very beginning as Gauff double-faulted with her first two serves.
In fact, she dished up a staggering six double faults throughout the first set while Sabalenka punished the American’s weak second serves.
Gauff won just three of 17 points on her second serve, or 18 per cent, as she continually invited Sabalenka to hammer returns back at her.
“She (Gauff) is going to need to keep making first serves,” tennis legend Jim Courier said on Nine’s commentary.
“The second serve is vulnerable to Sabalenka’s pace.”
Courier even went as far as saying Gauff was “struggling” and getting “crushed” when forced to defend from her second serves.
Despite Gauff’s serving woes, Sabalenka left the door open time and time again for the No. 4 seed.
The Belarusian even had a 5-2 lead but then lost the next four games, although she recovered in time to force the first set into a tie-break.
It was here that the No. 2 seed cranked up the intensity and Gauff simply could not match it, winning the tie-break 7-2.
The second set presented a much tighter affair as Gauff found the recipe to success on her second serve.
Her consistency, coupled with Sabalenka opting to take an all-or-nothing approach which resulted in more winners but also more unforced errors, kept the two neck-and-neck as few break point opportunities emerged.
However, it was Sabalenka who managed to take advantage of one when Gauff’s Achilles heel of a weak second serve got punished as the No. 2 seed finally secured the break in the ninth game to go ahead 5-4.
Although Gauff managed to stave off one match point, she could do little as Sabalenka rattled off two monster serves en route to winning the contest.
QINWEN INTO MAIDEN SLAM FINAL
In a grand slam semifinal debut for Dayana Yastremska and Zheng Qinwen, it was the former who struck first, taking a 2-0 lead after converting her fifth break point.
The Ukranian is just the second qualifier ever to reach the semifinals of the Australian Open, with the only other being Christine Dorey in 1978.
She played three poor points to go down 0-40 when serving at 2-0, but saved them all to get back to deuce. More unforced errors however quickly handed the break back to her opponent.
Both players had periods of dominance but also periods of sloppiness, with unforced errors flowing freely off the racquets of both.
It was a sporadic match in the early stages, with Alicia Molik labelling it “cold tennis” on Channel Nine.
Zheng began to heat up, coming back from 0-30 when serving at 2-3 and then opening up a 0-40 lead on Yastremska’s following service game.
Yastremska could be seen clutching at her abdomen / hip region following one extended rally, but she continued to play on.
Zheng would ultimately break despite missing the first three break point chances, with Yastremska calling for the trainer soon after and coming from the court for a medical timeout.
“What I’m worried about is Yastremska has already released a disclaimer (to her opponent),” Molik said.
“She’s not really to willing work the point hard.”
Yastremska still held her own, but it was Zheng who converted her first set point to take the opener in nearly an hour.
Another lengthy delay took place between the first and second set, with Yastremska holding serve to open things up.
Zheng held easily and then Yastremska found herself down two break points, with a searing return from her opponent clinching it on the first opportunity.
Despite the lead, Zheng was broken straight back by her opponent, levelling the set at 2-all as Zheng struggled to get a first serve in.
“It’s a match full of momentum swings, short pieces of momentum, mostly driven by winners and errors from Yastremska,” Todd Woodbridge said.
Another came at 3-all, with Yastremska going down 0-40 and then being broken by Zheng, who put together a winning passage of eight consecutive points.
Zheng held comfortably for 5-3 before Yastremska forced her opponent to try and serve out the match.
From 30-all, a couple of big serves sealed Zheng’s spot in the Australian Open final.
AUSSIE LEGEND HONOURED
Australian tennis great Evonne Goolagong Cawley will be recognised for her remarkable contribution to the sport, nation and culture in a special ceremony prior to the women’s semi-finals on Rod Laver Arena.
From 2025, the Australian Open’s annual celebration of First Nations culture during the first week of the tournament will be officially known as Evonne Goolagong Cawley Day.
As part of the festivities next year, the Australian Tennis Foundation will also host the Because of Evonne breakfast, followed by a ceremonial walk to Melbourne Park.
All funds raised from the event will go towards improving the lives of Indigenous children through education and sport, a mission Cawley has dedicated her post-playing life to.
“Evonne exemplifies all that is good and great in our sport, both on and off the court,” Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said, with the governing body having already donated $100,000 to the cause.
“She’s a shining example of humility and grace and the dedication she’s shown over so many years to helping others is an inspiration to us all.
“We look forward to building on Evonne’s legacy and continuing her extraordinary work.”
NO LOVE LOST BETWEEN FORMER PARTNERS AS AUSSIE SENT PACKING
It appeared there was no love lost between Aussie star Storm Hunter and her former doubles partner Elise Mertens after the latter and Hsei Su-Wei prevailed 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 to progress into the women’s doubles final.
Hunter and Mertens paired together last year and even made it to the final of Wimbledon but ultimately fell short, although they did win two titles throughout 2023.
The 29-year-old then made the surprise reveal she had split with the Belgian in November last year, stating that “nothing kind of really happened” between the pair but they simply “just wanted to change and a new challenge.”
Hunter’s new partner was Czech star Katerina Siniokova, while Mertens paired up with Hsei.
In the end it was the latter duo that emerged victors when the former pairing Hunter and Mertens faced off in Melbourne.
It led to what looked like a rather frosty exchange during the post-match handshakes at the net, with Mertens and Hunter barely acknowledging each other when shaking hands.
AUSSIE’S CHEEKY INVITE AS CRICKET GREAT CONGRATULATES STAR’S METEORIC RISE
There’s plenty of perks playing alongside the soon-to-be No. 1 men’s doubles player in the world, but Aussie star Matthew Ebden is hoping it helps him score dinner with a sporting great.
Ebden and Indian legend Rohan Bopanna will compete in the men’s doubles final after beating Tomas Machac and Zhang Zhizhen in a thrilling semi final encounter.
Bopanna, who hails from India, is one of the nation’s greatest tennis exports and has a long list of admirers from his home country, including a legendary cricketer by the name of Sachin Tendulkar.
After Ebden and Bopanna won their quarterfinal on Wednesday, it meant the 43-year-old would rise to the top of the doubles rankings once the Australian Open had concluded.
It sparked plenty of congratulatory messages from across the sporting landscape, including one from Tendulkar.
Bopanna was asked what it was like to receive a message from the cricket great and after revealing he sometimes enjoys meals with Tendulkar, Ebden couldn’t help but invite himself along to their next dinner.
“I think it’s amazing that he follows tennis for a long, long time, and he was there at Wimbledon watching our match, as well,” Bopanna said in the duo’s post-match press conference.
“He’s a dear friend. I met him a bunch of times. Had dinner with him a couple of times.”
Ebden, who was born in South Africa, interjected: “I’m coming next time.”
THE STREAK CONTINUES! AUSSIE STAR KEEPS DREAM RUN ALIVE
Australian star Matt Ebden and Rohan Bopanna are into the final of the men’s doubles after surviving a thrilling three-set contest against Tomas Machac and Zhang Zhizhen.
Ebden’s appearance in the final means it is three consecutive years an Australian has appeared in the men’s doubles final.
Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis famously won the 2022 Australian Open men’s doubles — against the fellow all-Aussie duo of Ebden and Max Purcell — while Rinky Hijikata and Jason Kubler combined to win last year.
It was a seesawing affair, with Ebden and Bopanna breezing past their rivals to win the first set 6-3 in just 32 minutes.
However, their momentum came to a screeching halt when the Rod Laver Arena roof had to be closed at 1-1 in the second set due to rain.
Australian doubles legend Todd Woodbridge feared it would negatively impact Ebden and Bopanna, especially the former’s serve.
“I like the breeze, the roof open, for Bopanna and Ebden,” Woodbridge said.
“I think they’re a better combination with that.
“I think this (roof closure) actually helps Machac and Zhang. They’re bigger, cleaner ball strikers off the ground. It definitely will help them on serve and give them another cleaner look at some of the returns.
“Matt Ebden was serving with a bit of help from the breeze, now he gets no help from the breeze.”
Woodbridge even described Ebden’s serve as “a little more vulnerable” with the roof closing.
The legend’s fears were confirmed as Machac and Zhang took the ascendancy to win the second set 6-3, forcing the contest into a deciding third set.
Despite the apparent struggles to adapt to the closed roof, Ebden and Bopanna showed no signs of difficulty as they raced out to a 5-2 lead and looked like they would cruise to victory.
But Machac and Zhang refused to lie down, holding serve in the eighth game to make it 5-3 before securing the vital break in the following game.
Their hard work to find a way back into the semi final contest was then on the verge of being undone when Ebden and Bopanna secured three match points at 0-40.
Remarkably, Machac and Zheng fired back thanks to some big serving from the latter to even the deciding set at 5-5, with the contest eventually going into a 10-point tie-break.
With the tension ramped up, it was the No. 2 seeding of Ebden and Bopanna that prevailed, showing all of their veteran nous to hold on and take the tie-break 10-7.
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DAY 12 ORDER OF PLAY (all times AEDT)
Rod Laver Arena
Men’s doubles semi-finals (not before 1pm)
R. Bopanna (IND) and M. Ebden (AUS) def T. Machac (CZE) and Z. Zhang (CHN) 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (10-7)
S. Bolelli (ITA) and A. Vavassori (ITA) def Y. Hanfmann (GER) and D. Koepfer (GER) 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (10-5)
Women’s singles semi-finals (not before 7:30pm)
No.2 Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) def No.4 Coco Gauff (USA) 7-6(2), 6-4
No.12 Qinwen Zheng (CHN) def Dayana Yastremska (UKR) 6-4, 6-4