The Australian Open
AO final: Sabalenka to face Rybakina
Aryna Sabalenka won her 10th match in a row on Thursday at the AustralianOpen, defeating Poland’s Magda Linette 7-6 (1), 6-1 to reach her first career final.
The fifth seed who has reached three Grand Slam semi-finals in the past 18 months will bid for her first major trophy on Saturday as she squares off against reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina.
After a 7-6 (4), 6-3 defeat of two-time tournament champion Victoria Azarenka, the 25th ranked Rybakina will make her long-awaited Top 10 ranking debut.
She missed the normal chance to profit from 2022 Wimbledon winner’s points and prestige after the tournament was stripped of ranking status by tennis bosses for banning Russian and Belarus players – including Azarenka – due to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
“I’m super happy to be in the final and ready to give everything I have left in one day,” Rybakina said.
“I didn’t expect (conditions) would be so different between day and night.
“It was much slower. The ball was heavier and it was difficult to move it.
“I had to adjust, but it was not easy because Vika, she’s a great player. She was playing really good, smart.
“Overall I’m happy that I managed to win the first set, it was a bit better in the second.”
Sabalenka claimed a WTA title at Adelaide this month and has won all six of her Open matches in straight sets.
The seed and the 45th-ranked Linette battled through a tiebreak first set lasting 53 minutes before Sabalenka unleashed in the tiebreaker to claim the opener.
She broke for 2-1 in the second set and increased the pressure all the way to victory, saving three break points for a 5-1 lead.
Linette held on to save three match points in the seventh game before Sabaenka wrapped up the evening a game later on her fourth match point.
“I’m happy I was able to get this win,” Sabalenka said. “She played really great tennis.
“I didn’t start well but I found my rhythm in the tiebreaker. I trusted myself and went for my shots.
“It was great tennis from me in the tiebreaker.”
Rybakina and the experienced Azarenka fought through an opening set which stretched to more than an hour, with the Kazakh taking the early match lead with a winning tiebreaker.
Rybakina went up a double break in the second set but had a hiccup in trying to close it out when she was broken while serving for victory.
But Azarenka was unable to ignite her mini-comeback, double-faulting to give away three match points.
Rybakina converted on her second as her opponent hit the net with a backhand to lose in just under one and three-quarter hours.
“It’s kind of hard to digest,” Azarenka said. “I had quite a few chances – not not converting them right now is difficult (to absorb).
“I can’t really say I’m proud of how I played… I’m proud of myself for how I fought and I tried, but tennis-wise I felt like I just wasn’t there, especially in the important moments.
“It’s not a great feeling right now to digest. But give me a couple hours and I can have probably a better outlook on this month in Australia.”
Jannik Sinner has broken his silence as the end of his three-month ban from tennis nears, with the world No. 1 admitting it will take “a little time to find myself again.”
The Italian gave his thoughts to SkySports Italia as he prepares to resume training in a few weeks with his ban for involuntary doping infractions ending on May 4, just a fortnight before the start of Roland Garros.
Sinner signed an agreement with anti-doping body WADA to serve time away from the sport which he dominated in 2024 after inadvertently ingesting a banned substance off the hands of his now-ex masseur last season.
The player called the entire episode “a little unfair” but accepted an ad-hoc sanction arrangement.
“It could have been much worse. We accepted (the suspension) quickly, even if I did not really agree .
“We had to choose the lesser of two evils and I think that’s what we did. What I’m going through is a little unfair, but if you look at it, it could have been much worse – it could have been even more unfair “
The 23-year-old added: “Once I made that decision, it took me a little time to find myself again. Other things happened, beyond this affair, which weren’t easy for me.
“It will take me a little more time to digest all of that, but I’m here. I can’t wait to make my return to Rome (Masters which begins a few days after his return).”
Sinner, a two-time Australian Open champion who also holds the US open crown. is unsure of his reception by peers when he comes back to the Tour in Rome.
“I don’t know what could happen . I’m certain of how things happened – I’m innocent.
“I want to play tennis and be very calm, that’s the end of it. I’m sure everything will be fine, even if it might take a while to get going again at first .”
Despite being out of action, Sinner has managed to maintain the top ATP ranking as rivals Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz continue to trail through poor results during their rival’s enforced absence.
Paula Badosa has given herself less than a month to be fit for the Madrid Masters after withdrawing from Miami with a recurring back problem.
The Spaniard who once touched second in the world retired before her fourth-round match in Florida more than a week ago.
She is hoping to be back on court when Madrid begins in three weeks.
The 27-year-old described her injury as “small hernia that has moved from the vertebra, but I’m being treated for the best treatments.
“My goal is to be back in Madrid.”
This year’s Australian Open semi-finalist added: “I’m doing well. I’m trying to take things positively, put things in perspective, and I’m doing fine.
“Physically? Well, I’ve had every test possible.
“This time I was more scared than I should have been because it was on the opposite side.
“I’ve always had discomfort on the right side, and now it’s on the left. I was worried it was another stress fracture, but fortunately it isn’t.”
Main photo:- Paula Badosa in Miami action before retiring – by ISF Ltd
Aryna Sabalenka shook off a one-hours rain delay as she defeated Jessica Pegula for the third time in a row, winning the Miami Masters on Saturday 7-5, 6-2.
The world No. 1 kept a firm grip on the top ranking spot after dismissing her American opponent after finals wins over Pegula in Cincinnati and New York last season.
Victory in just under 90 minutes was the second title of the season for Sabalenka, who lost 2025 finals at the Australian Open and earlier this month at Indian Wells to teenaged Mirra Andreeva.
The final began an hour late due to rain in South Florida.
Sabalenka broke on six of her 14 chances while dropping her own serve four times.
Sabalenka finally lifted the trophy here on her seventh appearance after reaching quarter-finals in 2021 and 2023.
The winner claimed her eighth title at the 1000 level while improving her record over Pegula to 7-2.
Sabalenka owns 19 career trophies including back-to-back Australian Opens and the US Open last September.
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