January 26, (THEWILL) – Aryna Sabalenka reached her first Grand Slam final after a hard-fought match against Magda Linette in the Australian Open.
Linette started off strong, breaking Sabalenka in the first game, but the 24-year-old quickly regained some control and evened the score at 2-2. The set went on serve until Sabalenka dominated the tie-breaker, winning 7-1 to take the opening set.
In the second set, Sabalenka continued to assert her dominance and even though Linette saved three match points to force her opponent to serve it out, Sabalenka ultimately emerged victorious with a 7-6(1) 6-2 win.
Sabalenka will now face Elena Rybakina in the final, as both women compete for the tournament title for the first time. Sabalenka, who had previously lost in three Grand Slam semi-finals, was elated about her win and praised Linette for her strong play.
This match marks Sabalenka’s 10th consecutive win in singles matches without dropping a set, solidifying her position as a top player on the WTA Tour this year.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
