Aryna Sabalenka out for ‘revenge’ against Coco Gauff in Australian Open semis
Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka reacts after a point against Czech Republic’s Barbora Krejcikova during their women’s singles quarter-final match on day 10 of the Australian Open tennis tournament. Photo: Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP
Published Jan 23, 2024
The world number two was untouchable in a commanding 6-2, 6-3 victory over ninth seed Barbora Krejcikova on Rod Laver Arena, reaching the last four at a Grand Slam for the sixth consecutive time.
She will meet Gauff next in a replay of last year’s US Open final, which the teenager won in three sets.
“I love it, I love it. After the US Open, I really wanted that revenge, and, I mean, that’s a great match,” Sabalenka said, looking ahead to their clash for a place in the final on Thursday.
“It’s always great battles against Coco, with really great fights. I’m happy to play her, and I’m super-excited to play that semi-final match.”
After her defeat when favourite at Flushing Meadows, Sabalenka made clear she wants to ensure she is not a one-hit wonder.
And on current form, dropping just 16 games so far at Melbourne Park, Gauff will be the underdog again.
The Belarusian had won all seven of her previous Grand Slam quarter-finals coming into the Krejcikova clash and attributed her consistency to hard work.
“A lot of hard work. I have been working so hard this last year and in pre-season. It’s all about hard work, give it all in the practice court so you are ready for the match,” she said.
“I think my mindset is that I’m not getting crazy on court, I’m not rushing things,” she added.
“You know, I’m just playing point by point, and that’s it, and fighting for every point without overthinking about my dreams, about what I want to do, about how many Slams I want to win and all that stuff.”
She wasted little time laying down the law against Krejcikova, the 2021 French Open champion, working two break points off the Czech’s serve in game three and making no mistake.
Further breaks came in game five and seven, with Sabalenka in full control, serving to love for the set in just 33 minutes.
Krejcikova had reached the last eight after an arduous journey, losing the first set in three of her first four matches, before bouncing back.
But there was no repeat against a player in peak form and whose booming groundstrokes were unstoppable.
The second set followed a similar pattern, with Sabalenka breaking in game three and five.
The Czech player, who has never gone past the last eight in Melbourne, staged a mini-recovery but it was too little too late as the second seed galloped home.
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World No. 1 Novak Djokovic of Serbia and fourth seed Jannik Sinner of Italy reached the Australian Open men’s singles semifinal, respectively, on Tuesday, as defending women’s champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus set up her semifinal clash with U.S. Open’s home champion Coco Gauff.
Djokovic was not at his brilliant best as he battled warm conditions in the high-voltage game against 12th seed Taylor Fritz of the U.S. But the 10-time tournament champion wore down Fritz 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in a quarterfinal that lasted 3 hours and 45 minutes.
Novak Djokovic in action during the Australian Open men’s singles quarterfinal round in Melbourne, Australia, January 23, 2024. /CFP
“He was serving well, he was staying close to the line, he was kind of suffocating me from the back of the court,” said Djokovic, who now has a 9-0 head-to-head record against Fritz. “It was extremely hot while the sun was still out there. Physically very draining, emotionally as well.”
Djokovic squandered his first 15 break points, but he was dominant on serve with 20 aces. “At the end of the day, I managed to break him when it mattered, in the third and the fourth,” he said. “I think I upped my game probably midway through the third set, all the way to the end.”
The 36-year-old remained well on track for a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title, but the irrepressible Sinner looms as a worthy challenger in the semifinals having not dropped a set in the tournament.
Jannik Sinner (R) shakes hands with Andrey Rublev after their Australian Open men’s singles quarterfinal clash in Melbourne, Australia, January 23, 2024. /CFP
Sinner continued his brilliant form with a 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-3 victory over fifth seed Andrey Rublev of Russia as he strives for a maiden Grand Slam title.
There was much anticipation over the late night blockbuster which did not start until almost 11 p.m. Sinner made a fast start until he was visibly in discomfort midway through the second set due to an abdominal injury.
The momentum appeared to be turning towards Rublev when he gained a stranglehold with a 5-1 lead in the second set tiebreak. But Sinner lifted his level and rattled off the next six points to force Rublev into climbing a mountain.
The 22-year-old showed no ill effects from his earlier injury woes to reach his first semifinal at Melbourne Park as he finished with a forehand winner to wrap up the match at 1:20 a.m. local time.
“I’m just trying to stay aggressive. It went my way, so I’m really happy,” Sinner said.
Aryna Sabalenka (L) shakes hands with Barbora Krejcikova after their Australian Open women’s singles quarterfinal clash in Melbourne, Australia, January 23, 2024. /CFP
Women’s second seed Sabalenka raced past ninth seed and former French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova from the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-3 in just 71 minutes.
Sabalenka has not dropped a set and lost only 16 games in five matches in Melbourne for her title defense. She will be confident of exacting revenge against Gauff in a rematch of last year’s U.S. Open final, where the 19-year-old home favorite won her first Grand Slam title with a comeback three-set victory.
Coco Gauff celebrates after the Australian Open women’s singles quarterfinal round in Melbourne, Australia, January 23, 2024. /CFP
Gauff overcame an error-strewn performance to defeat unseeded Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk 7-6 (6), 6-7 (3), 6-2 in a quarterfinal that failed to live up to great heights.
“Hopefully got the bad match out of the way and I can play even better,” Gauff said. “Really proud of the fight I showed today.”
Quarterfinal action continues on Wednesday when China’s top-ranked player Zheng Qinwen faces unseeded Anna Kalinskaya of Russia, and men’s second seed Carlos Alcaraz faces sixth seed Alexander Zverev of Germany.
(With input from Xinhua)