Aryna Sabalenka’s quest for a third consecutive Australian Open title continues after she defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 in a tough quarterfinal match on Tuesday night.
The world No. 1, Sabalenka, has now won 19 consecutive matches at Melbourne Park and will meet her close friend, No. 11 seed Paula Badosa, in the semifinals on Thursday.
Sabalenka, who had won 25 consecutive sets at the Australian Open since the 2023 final, took the first set against 2021 French Open finalist Pavlyuchenkova. However, the windy conditions in Rod Laver Arena made it difficult for Sabalenka to control her powerful shots. She eventually regained her rhythm and won the final three games after the third set was tied at 3-all.
“Honestly,” Sabalenka admitted, “I was just praying.”
Sabalenka claimed her first major title at the Australian Open in 2023, followed by another in January, and then added a third Grand Slam trophy at the U.S. Open in September.
The most recent woman to win the Australian Open three consecutive years was Martina Hingis, who achieved this feat from 1997 to 1999.
Paula Badosa’s 7-5, 6-4 win over No. 3 Coco Gauff in the first quarterfinal of the day was an impressive result, but it didn’t carry the same weight as what a victory by No. 27 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova over Sabalenka would have meant.
For much of the second set and even the start of the third, it looked like Pavlyuchenkova might pull off the upset. However, she ultimately fell short, bringing her record to 1-8 in Grand Slam quarterfinals, with an 0-4 mark at the Australian Open.
So how did Pavlyuchenkova come close to winning?
Her success came from effectively dealing with Sabalenka’s powerful serves. She read them well and responded with deep returns. Although it took her some time to get comfortable, once she found her rhythm, she was nearly flawless. After Sabalenka won all four of her service games in the first set, Pavlyuchenkova managed to win five out of the next six.
Pavlyuchenkova also showcased powerful groundstrokes that matched Sabalenka’s for much of the match. Additionally, she displayed impressive volleying skills, winning eight of the first nine points at the net — one of which seemed to be a mistake but landed in, causing Pavlyuchenkova to flash a wry smile.
As the match remained close, Sabalenka became increasingly frustrated, with her grunts and post-point shouts growing louder. After being broken and falling behind 1-0 in the third set, she slammed her racket against the blue court.
However, Sabalenka managed to regain her composure and eventually smiled, looking forward to the possibility of making it back to the final with one more win.
