Aryna Sabalenka powered into the Australian Open semi-finals on Wednesday by beating a spirited Donna Vekic 6-3, 6-2 in a 1hr 49min battle on Rod Laver Arena.
The 24-year-old, the only top-10 seed left in the draw, took her chances in a physical one-hour first set littered with breakpoints before running away with the second.
“It feels really special to be in the semi-finals here, it was a tough match,” said Sabalenka, competing in her first Australian Open quarter-final.
“I’m super happy with the win and it was so great to play here today, the atmosphere was unbelievable.”
Sabalenka came into the match as many observers’ favorite for a first major. She won the recent WTA Adelaide International and had not dropped a set in 2023 in eight matches.
The world number five had reached the US Open semi-finals in each of the last two seasons and made the final four at Wimbledon in 2021.
