Sabalenka into fourth straight Australian Open final and facing Rybakina again

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus has advanced to her fourth consecutive Australian Open final. The semifinal matches took place in Melbourne, Australia on Thursday, January 29, 2026. Sabalenka defeated Elina Svitolina of Ukraine to secure her place in the final. She will face Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, who won her semifinal match against Jessica Pegula of the U.S. The upcoming final will be a rematch between Sabalenka and Rybakina.

Aryna Sabalenka defeated Elina Svitolina at the Australian Open on Thursday, January 29, 2026, securing her place in the final. The Belarusian player won in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3, advancing to her fourth consecutive Australian Open final. The match was notable due to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, with Svitolina, a Ukrainian player, not shaking hands with Sabalenka, who is from Belarus, an ally of Russia. Sabalenka will now compete for her third Australian Open title in four years against the winner of the match between Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina. Sabalenka's victory marks her as the third woman in the professional era to reach four consecutive Australian Open finals.