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By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday January 21, 2025

 
Aryna Sabalenka

Aryna Sabalenka battled past 27th-seeded Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to move two wins from an Australian Open three-peat.

Photo Source: Cameron Spencer/Getty

Aryna Sabalenka and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova do a lot of the same things well on a tennis court. They both belt the ball with supreme authority, and they both play aggressive, baseline tennis that can take the racquet out of the opponent's hands.

Tennis Express

Unfortunately for Pavlyuchenkova, Sabalenka’s execution – from pace of shot to precision to movement to shot selection – is in a different league than the rest of the tour’s aggressive baseliners. That’s why she’s a tour de force on hard court and that’s why she’s No.1 in the world. Her excellence was on display yet again Tuesday night as the defending two-time champion was quick off the mark and strong at the finish during her 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 takedown of the World No.27.


But Pavlychenkova, a former Grand Slam finalist who entered the evening with a 2-1 record against the three-time major champion, made a significant impression on the contest and nearly came away with a stunning upset.

After waltzing through the opening set, Sabalenka found herself in a tight tussle, as an in-form Pavlychenkova roared through the second set and led by a break in set three on two occasions.

"Honestly I was just praying today," Sabalenka said after the win. "She played amazing tennis, very aggressive, I'm just super happy I was able to somehow make it through this match."

Perhaps it was Sabalenka's prayers being answered when Pavlyuchenkova missed an easy backhand down the line that would have given her a 2-0 lead in set three and, after a 30-minute purple patch that saw the Russian take control of the contest and rain winners past Sabalenka with regularity, she gradually conceded the run of play back to Sabalenka.

"Aryna, she was quite consistent throughout the match hitting the ball, serving," Pavluchenkova later said. "So she's a very tough opponent. Once third set, I lost a little bit of concentration, then she right away took it."

Pavluchenkova, who entered the quarterfinals having struck more winners than any other player remaining in the women’s singles draw, was untouchable in the middle set as she blew the ball past Sabalenka with impressive ease. She took the World No.1 out of rhythm, but in the end she couldn’t slow down the Sabalenka express in the third set.

Sabalenka was down by a break at 1-0 and 2-1 in the decider, but broke back both times. She then held serve the rest of the way and broke Pavluchenkova for 5-3 to take control of the deciding set.




She finished the contest by winning the final three games. Sabalenka finished with 29 winners against 23 for Pavluchenkova as she improves to 27-5 lifetime at Melbourne Park.

Sabalenka stretches her Australian Open winning streak to 19 victories and sets a semifinal with Spain’s Paula Badosa, who defeated Coco Gauff in Tuesday’s first women’s quarterfinal, 7-5, 6-4. Sabalenka is bidding to become the first woman to win three consecutive Australian Open titles since Martina Hingis in 1999.

She improves to 2-2 lifetime against 33-year-old Pavluchenkova and 2-0 vs. the Russian on hard courts.

 

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