Unstoppable Sabalenka, Rybakina set up Australian Open final rematch

MELBOURNE, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- World number one Aryna Sabalenka and fifth seed Elena Rybakina will once again square off for the Australian Open title after dominant semifinal victories on Thursday.

It will be a rematch of the 2023 final, where Rybakina was left heartbroken after Sabalenka came from behind in a three-set classic.

Both players will enter in prime form having not lost a set in the tournament as the one-sided matches at Rod Laver Arena continued much to the chagrin of fans.

Sabalenka dominated 12th-seeded Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-3 in just 76 minutes.

Sabalenka whacked 29 winners to thwart veteran Svitolina's bid for a maiden grand slam final as her stirring start to the year ended in tame fashion.

Sabalenka will start the final as hot favorite having won 26 of her last 27 matches at Melbourne Park.

The 27-year-old's only loss in this four-year stretch was a shock three-set defeat to Madison Keys in last year's final, which ended her bid for a third straight Australian Open title.

Only Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Martina Hingis had previously reached at least four straight Australian Open finals in the professional era.

"I'm just super happy to be through this tough match," said Sabalenka, who is gunning for a fifth grand slam title.

"I felt like I had to step in and put as much pressure as I could back on her and I'm glad that the level was there today. I played great tennis and happy to get the win in straight-sets."

Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, will be a worthy challenger after dispatching sixth seed Jessica Pegula 6-3, 7-6 (7) in the second semifinal.

"It was such a battle. I'm glad I was able to win it and super happy to be in the final," Rybakina said of her one hour and 40-minute win over Pegula.

The Kazakh appeared headed for a romp until a late twist when she squandered three match points in the ninth game and twice was unable to serve it out.

But she held her nerve and clinched a tense tiebreak with a booming backhand down the line to set up another battle with foe Sabalenka.

"It was a great battle we played," Rybakina recalled of the 2023 final. "Just in the end she played a bit better. She won that match, very deserved.

"I want to enjoy the final and hopefully I'm going to serve better than today and that will help me."

In the women's doubles, China's Zhang Shuai and Elise Mertens of Belgium, the fourth seeds, stormed into the final after a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Ena Shibahara and Vera Zvonareva. Zhang and Mertens will face seventh-seeded Anna Danilina and Aleksandra Krunic in the final.

The men's semifinals will be played on Friday with top seed Carlos Alcaraz facing No.3 Alexander Zverev while two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner will be favored against 24-time major winner Novak Djokovic. ■