Elena Rybakina, Aryna Sabalenka sweep semifinal foes for Australian Open finale rematch

Jan. 29 (UPI) -- Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka swept through semifinal foes Jessica Pegula and Elina Svitolina on Thursday to earn Australian Open finale berths.

Rybakina will take on Sabalenka for the first Grand Slam title of the tennis season Saturday in Melbourne. The match will air at 3:30 a.m. EST on ESPN. An encore presentation will air at 9 a.m. on ESPN2.

"I'm very happy to be in the final again," Rybakina told reporters. "I was close in other years and seasons, but now I'm closer. It's just one step to go."

The Rybakina-Sabalenka meeting will be a rematch of the 2023 finale in Melbourne, which Sabalenka won in three sets for the first of her four Grand Slam singles crowns.

"We both are different players," Sabalenka said. "We went through different things. We are much stronger mentally and physically. We are playing better tennis now. I will approach it as a completely different match. ... I'll approach this match as the very first one."

Sabalenka will look to win her third Australian Open title in four years. She advanced to the final in five of her last six Grand Slam appearances. Sabalenka has an 8-6 career record against Rybakina, including 2-0 in majors.

Rybakina, a Russia native who represents Kazakhstan, ousted Pegula 6-3, 7-6(7). The No. 5 player in the WTA singles rankings edged the No. 6 American 6-2 in aces, 31-14 in winners and 4-3 in break point conversions in the 1-hour, 40-minute match.

The Wimbledon 2022 champion will make her third appearance in a Grand Slam final.

Sabalenka dispatched Svitolina in just 76 minutes to reach her fourth-consecutive Australian Open final. The top-ranked Belarusian held advantages of 29-12 in winners and 4-1 in break point conversions on the No. 12 Ukrainian in her 6-2, 6-3 win.

"I just love this place," Sabalenka said. "I love the stadium and every time I'm competing here I really enjoy my time."

No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain will meet No. 3 Alexander Zverev of Germany in the first men's semifinal of Day 13 at Rod Laver Arena. No. 4 Novak Djokovic of Serbia will face No. 2 Jannik Sinner of Italy in the second semifinal on the same court.

The winners from those matches will meet Sunday in the men's singles final, which will air at 3:30 a.m. Sunday on ESPN. Encore presentations of the men's final will air at 9 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. on ESPN2.

The Alcaraz-Zverev semifinal will air at 10:30 p.m. Thursday on ESPN. The Djokovic-Sinner match will air at 3:30 a.m. Friday on ESPN.

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