NEW DELHI: Aryna Sabalenka, the defending champion and world number one, advanced to her third consecutive Australian Open final on Wednesday by defeating her close friend Paula Badosa in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2.
The match took place at the Rod Laver Arena, where Sabalenka has enjoyed tremendous success, winning 20 consecutive matches at the Australian Open.
Sabalenka’s victory puts her on the brink of achieving a remarkable feat -– winning three consecutive Australian Open titles, something that hasn’t been accomplished in the 21st century.
The last player to achieve this was Martina Hingis in 1999, and only four other women have managed to win three consecutive Australian Open titles: Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong, Steffi Graf, and Monica Seles.
Despite their close friendship, with Sabalenka previously describing Badosa as her “best friend” and “soulmate,” the match was a highly competitive affair.
Badosa, seeded 11th, had stunned world number three Coco Gauff in the previous round to reach her maiden Grand Slam semi-final at the age of 27.
The first set was closely contested, with Badosa taking an early lead before Sabalenka found her rhythm and rallied to claim the set 6-4. In the second set, Sabalenka’s powerful baseline game proved too much for Badosa, and the Belarusian secured a 6-2 victory.
Sabalenka’s win keeps her in contention to retain her world number one ranking, which would have been taken over by Iga Swiatek had she lost. The final will determine the new world number one, with Sabalenka facing either Swiatek or Madison Keys.
For Badosa, despite the loss, her run to the semi-finals caps a remarkable comeback after a brutal back injury in 2023 that nearly led her to consider retirement. Her performance in Melbourne will see her return to the top 10 for the first time since October 2022.