Aryna Sabalenka stands on the brink of history at the Australian Open as she prepares for a monumental final against Madison Keys. The Belarusian tennis star is eyeing her third consecutive Australian Open title, a feat accomplished by legends such as Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong, Steffi Graf, and Martina Hingis. Responding to the crowd’s acknowledgment of her potential achievement, Sabalenka expressed her amazement, saying, “You just saying that, I have goosebumps.”
In the semifinals, Sabalenka showcased her formidable skills against Paula Badosa. Despite an early stumble where she suffered a surprise break of serve, allowing Badosa to take a 2-0 lead, Sabalenka regained her rhythm to dominate the second set decisively. Her performance was a testament to her resilience and determination to maintain her title-winning streak.
Sabalenka's journey to the final has not been without challenges. In the quarterfinals, she dropped a set for the first time since the 2023 final against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Nevertheless, she bounced back to display her ruthless best against Badosa in the semifinals. Describing Badosa as a "soulmate," Sabalenka displayed sportsmanship and camaraderie, promising to take her on a shopping spree after the tournament.
“After that I think we’re back to being friends, back to going out together, shopping. I promise Paula, if she’s watching, that we’ll go shopping and I’ll pay for whatever she wants.” – Sabalenka
Meanwhile, Madison Keys achieved a career milestone by defeating world No. 1 Iga Świątek in a thrilling semifinal match. Seeded 19th in the tournament, Keys stunned Świątek with a powerful performance. The first set was a closely contested battle with seven breaks of serve, but Keys managed to clinch it with a booming ace. Despite Świątek's valiant efforts and reaching match point in the third set, Keys prevailed, winning 10-8 in the championship tie-break.
Reflecting on her unexpected ascent to the final, Keys admitted to feeling overwhelmed by her success.
“I’m still trying to catch up to everything that’s happening,” – Keys
Keys' victory marks her return to a grand slam final for the first time since the 2017 US Open. Her impressive performance against Świątek demonstrated her ability to maintain composure under pressure and execute powerful shots that broke her opponent's resistance.
The stage is now set for an exciting final showdown between Sabalenka and Keys. Both players have demonstrated exceptional skill and determination throughout the tournament. Sabalenka aims to etch her name alongside tennis legends with another title win, while Keys seeks to capture her first grand slam title.
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