- Sabalenka previously lost out to Gauff in the final of the US Open in New York
- The 25-year-old came close to blowing a confident lead in the opening set
- Gauff was unable to respond late on in the second set despite first-set firepower
Aryna Sabalenka is one match away from sealing back-to-back Australian Open victories after despatching Coco Gauff 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 on Thursday evening.
The Belarusian world No 2 only needed two sets to defeat the 19-year-old US Open winner, despite an early wobble which saw her squander a 5-2 lead in the opening set.
Before being taken to task by the American, Sabalenka hadn’t lost more than three games in a single set throughout her tournament run.
Nerves were on show from both and Gauff hit back to level, but five double faults from the American in her opening three service games proved very costly and Sabalenka opened up a 5-2 lead.
The number two seed failed to serve out the set at 5-3 and Gauff saved a set point in the next game before making it four games in a row, the crowd gasping as the Belarusian pushed a forehand wide with the whole court at her mercy.
Aryna Sabalenka will look to secure back-to-back Australian Open titles after reaching the final
Coco Gauff unsettled the Belarusian at last year’s US Open but was unable to disrupt her dominance Down Under
But the 25-year-old first-set wobble hinted that the tie could be taken the distance on Thursday
Gauff was two points away from taking the set but Sabalenka refused to let history repeat itself, forcing a tie-break, where she put on a display of awesome power that even the athletic American could find no answer to.
Gauff kept her nose in front on serve in the second set and a real test of Sabalenka’s nerve arrived when she trailed 0-30 in the eighth game.
But the 25-year-old responded with four exceptional points, broke Gauff in the next game and served out the victory to become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2016 and 2017 to reach successive finals here.
Sabalenka and Gauff last met in the final at Flushing Meadows last year, with the 25-year-old taking the teenager the distance, but ultimately losing 6-2 3-6 2-6.
Before the match, Sabalenka had stressed that she had been hungry for ‘revenge’ after defeat on Arthur Ashe, but lauded her opponent for always providing a ‘great battle’.
With a place in the final confirmed, Sabalenka will be watching the second semi-final with interest.
Gauff battled back from 5-2 down to force a tiebreak in the first set at Rod Laver Arena
But Sabalenka held her nerve to see out the set before a composed run in the second set
Sabalenka is the first woman since Serena Williams in 2016 and 2017 to reach successive finals in Australia
Dayana Yastremka battled through qualifiers before securing her spot in the main draw last week, but has cut a swathe through her competitors, most recently overturning Linda Noskova with relative ease 6-3 6-4.
The Ukrainian will have a formidable opponent in Zheng Qinwen however – the number 12 seed pulled off a comeback victory against Anna Kalinskaya 6-7 (7-4), 6-3, 6-1 and will enter the top 10 for the first term following a strong run in Melbourne.
