ATS
Aryna Sabalenka is still on the road to the hat-trick that Martina Hingis was the last to achieve in Melbourne in 1999. However, she was pushed to her limits in the quarter-final.
The world No. 1 beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (WTA 32) 6-2 2-6 6-3 after losing. his first set of the fortnight. Largely dominated in the second set by the Russian, she lost her first two service games of the third set before regaining control. The outcome of the match could have been different if Anastasia Pavluchenkova had not misused three 2-0 balls in this last set.
Thursday in the semi-final, she will meet Paula Badosa (WTA 12), her best friend on the Circuit. She won the last five meetings which pitted her against the Spaniard. Victorious 7-5 6-4 over Coco Gauff on Wednesday afternoon, the Spaniard reached this Grand Slam semi-final stage for the first time.
