Sabalenka storms into Australian Open semi-finals
World number one Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the semi-finals of the Australian Open as Melbourne braced for extreme heat expected to reach 45C later Tuesday, with Carlos Alcaraz also aiming to book his place in the last four.
Sabalenka overpowered 18-year-old American Iva Jovic 6-3, 6-0 to continue her title defence and will next face either third seed Coco Gauff or 12th seed Elina Svitolina for a spot in the final, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
The top-seeded Belarusian is chasing a third Melbourne title in four years and has looked dominant throughout the tournament, reaching the semi-finals without dropping a set.
“These teenagers have been testing me in the last couple of rounds,” said Sabalenka, 27, who is riding a 10-match winning streak after lifting the Brisbane title earlier this month.
“It was a tough match. Don’t look at the score — it wasn’t easy at all,” she added. “She played incredible tennis and pushed me to a higher level. I’m super happy with the win.”
The quarter-final was played under intense sunshine on Rod Laver Arena, with on-court temperatures climbing to 38C. Shortly after the match concluded, tournament organisers closed the stadium roof, ensuring the remaining three quarter-finals would be played in significantly cooler conditions.
The move followed the tournament reaching its maximum “heat stress” rating of five for the second time in four days — a measure designed to safeguard players, spectators and officials during extreme weather conditions.
Play on outdoor courts, which were to host junior boys' and girls' matches, were put on hold.
Temperatures reached 40C on Saturday, with matches on outside courts paused for about five hours.
Defeat brought an end to a breakthrough tournament for Jovic, the youngest player in the women's top 100 and seeded 29.
She stunned seventh seed and two-time Slam finalist Jasmine Paolini and blitzed past experienced Yulia Putintseva for the loss of just one game to announce herself to the world.
Alcaraz faces having to beat not just Alex de Minaur but also a patriotic home crowd to make his first Australian Open semi-final.
Whoever comes out on top will meet German third seed Alexander Zverev, who lost the final last year to Jannik Sinner, or American next-gen star Learner Tien.
The 22-year-old Spaniard Alcaraz has won six Grand Slams, but is yet to go past the last eight in Melbourne.
De Minaur has failed to make it past the quarter-finals at any Slam and is hoping the home fans can help him pull off an upset in the last match of the day on centre court.
"For me, it just comes down to I'm going to have to bring some of my best tennis," said the Australian, who has lost all five previous encounters with Alcaraz.
"Once I rock up on Tuesday and I walk on court, you just deal with whatever's in front of you," he added of the prospect of a closed roof.
By Nijat Babayev
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