No.1 Sabalenka thrashes Svitolina to reach fourth straight Australian Open final

MELBOURNE, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- World number one Aryna Sabalenka's quest for redemption in Melbourne is almost complete after a comprehensive Australian Open semifinal victory over 12th seed Elina Svitolina on Thursday.

Sabalenka's 6-2, 6-3 masterclass in 76 minutes was her 26th win from her last 27 matches at Rod Laver Arena as she moved closer to a fifth grand slam title.

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.

Sabalenka's bid to regain the crown will go through American sixth seed Jessica Pegula or former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, with the second semifinal to be played later on Thursday.

"The job isn't done yet," said a steely Sabalenka, who has not dropped a set in the tournament.

Svitolina, playing her fourth grand slam semifinal, entered as a major underdog but with confidence after a strong start to the year reached new heights when she thrashed No.3 Coco Gauff in the last eight.

But she stood no chance against Sabalenka's formidable groundstrokes, with arguably her best being a thunderous backhand crosscourt bullet that sealed a 41-minute first set.

Against the odds, Svitolina raced to a 2-0 lead in the second set before Sabalenka rediscovered her fierce hitting and a sizzling forehand winner sealed a place in her fourth straight final. ■