Sabalenka has advanced to the semi-finals or better at 11 of her past 12 majors, during an incredible period when she won all four of her grand slam titles and never lost before the quarter-finals.
Sabalenka’s dominant performance extended an underwhelming fortnight of mismatches, leaving the Rod Laver Arena crowd’s entertainment to come from watching the Belarusian’s sustained racquet fireworks, which were all the more impressive because of how few mistakes she made.
The 27-year-old blasted nearly double as many winners as unforced errors (29 to 15), and was unforgiving whenever Svitolina offered her anything short.
She also overcame a controversial hindrance call on the first point of the fourth game, where the chair umpire ruled her grunt had lasted too long.
A subsequent video review upheld that decision, which Sabalenka gave a thumbs-down reaction to, but she ended up securing the first break in that game after overwhelming Svitolina from the back of the court. But Sabalenka was still bemused about the call post-match.
“That’s never happened to me, especially with my grunting,” she said.
Elina Svitolina had her moments but was no match for Sabalenka in their semi-final.Credit: Eddie Jim
“It’s so off, I think … the ball was deep, and the bounce was wrong, and it was just like the timing. I was exhaling, and it just happened naturally. Then she called it, and I was, like, ‘What? What is wrong with you?’
“I think it was the wrong call, but whatever. How do I say [it] in a nice way? She really pissed me off, and it actually helped me and benefited my game. I was more aggressive. I was not happy with the call, so it really helped me to get that game.”
Sabalenka’s only lapse was a loose game on serve to start the second set, which ended with back-to-back unforced errors and included a separate double fault – but she was back on serve by the fourth game and never looked back.
Svitolina, who will return to the top 10 next week for the first time since the birth of her daughter with French player Gael Monfils in October 2022, said Sabalenka was “on fire”.
A Ukrainian flag seen in the crowd for the women’s semi-final between Sabalenka and Svitolina.Credit: Eddie Jim
“I feel like she feels very comfortable here on those courts. She’s won here a couple of times, so I think she has this confidence playing here,” Svitolina said.
“I wish I could put a bit more pressure with my serve, but I think she had answers on everything today.”
More to come
Read more on the Australian Open
News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport are sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
