MELBOURNE : World number one Aryna Sabalenka swept aside 18-year-old American Iva Jovic 6-3 6-0 on Tuesday to reach the Australian Open semi-finals and stay on track for a third title in four years.
The Belarusian, champion in 2023 and 2024 and runner-up last year, will face either Coco Gauff or Elina Svitolina for a place in Saturday’s final.
“These teenagers have been testing me in the last couple of rounds,” Sabalenka said after also beating 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko in the previous round. “Don’t look at the score, it wasn’t easy at all. She played incredible tennis and pushed me to a better level. It was a tough battle.”
Sabalenka made a fast start under sweltering conditions at Melbourne Park, racing to a 3-0 lead in the opening set. Jovic, playing in her first Grand Slam quarter-final, used her speed to trouble the defending champion and held serve in a long fourth game to stay in touch.
The teenager continued to compete strongly from the baseline, but Sabalenka’s power eventually told as she wrapped up the first set in just under an hour.
The 27-year-old was ruthless in the second set, breaking serve in the opening game with a fierce cross-court winner and never looking back. Sabalenka converted two more break points to seal a dominant victory and book her place in the last four.
