Aryna Sabalenka delivered a commanding performance, swiftly defeating Barbora Krejcikova 6-2, 6-3 in the quarter-finals on Tuesday, maintaining her strong defense of the Australian Open title. This victory sets up an intriguing showdown with U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff.
Sabalenka wasted no time at Road Laver Arena, extending her winning streak at Melbourne Park to 12 matches while conceding only 16 games.
Sabalenka broke Krejcikova three times with just one hiccup herself, securing the first set in just over 30 minutes. She continued her impressive form in the second set, breaking her opponent once again and maintaining control of the match.
In the end, Sabalenka closed out the match with powerful serves and a love break to set up a semi-final clash with Coco Gauff. With many top seeds already eliminated in the top half of the draw, the upcoming match between Sabalenka and Gauff may play a crucial role in determining the recipient of the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Trophy and many specialists label this semi-final clash as a ‘final before the final’.