Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka fought her way to the semifinals of the Australian Open after a hard-fought victory over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the quarterfinals. Sabalenka, the world No. 1, extended her winning streak at Melbourne Park to 19 matches and is now set to face her close friend, Paula Badosa, in the next round.
Sabalenka, who had won the previous two Australian Open titles, faced a tough challenge from Pavlyuchenkova, losing the first set before rallying to win the next two sets. Despite facing difficulties in controlling her powerful shots in the windy conditions, Sabalenka managed to secure the victory by winning the last three games of the match.
