Overview
- World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka routed 18-year-old Iva Jovic 6-3, 6-0 to reach her fourth straight Australian Open semifinal.
- Elina Svitolina overwhelmed No. 3 seed Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-2, closing out the quarterfinal in about 59 minutes, according to dpa reporting.
- Sabalenka’s Melbourne run extends a dominant stretch that includes titles in 2023 and 2024 and a streak of four consecutive semifinals.
- Extreme heat shaped play, with temperatures reported near 39°C during Sabalenka’s daytime match.
- The upcoming Sabalenka–Svitolina meeting carries added tension due to strained relations between Ukrainian and Belarusian/Russian players over the war in Ukraine.