Sabalenka Dominates Jovic to Reach Australian Open Semi-Finals
In a commanding display of power tennis, world number one Aryna Sabalenka stormed into the Australian Open semi-finals with a decisive victory over American teenager Iva Jovic on Tuesday. The top-seeded Belarusian secured her place in the last four with a 6-3, 6-0 triumph in blazing heat at Melbourne Park, accelerating her bid for a third title at the season-opening Grand Slam.
Scorching Conditions and Strategic Mastery
The match unfolded under an open roof on Rod Laver Arena, with temperatures soaring to a peak of 38 degrees Celsius during play. Despite forecasts predicting a blistering 45C, the tournament's Heat Stress Scale did not reach the threshold for closing the roof. Sabalenka adapted brilliantly to the challenging conditions, showcasing her relentless aggression and precision.
"These teenagers have been testing me in the last couple of rounds," Sabalenka remarked after the match. "It was a tough match. Don't look at the score, it wasn't easy at all. She played incredible tennis. Pushed me to one step better level. And I'm super happy with the win." This victory extends her winning streak to 10 matches, following her title at the Brisbane International lead-up event.
Jovic's Breakthrough Tournament Ends
For 18-year-old Iva Jovic, the defeat marked the conclusion of a breakthrough Australian Open campaign. As the youngest player in the women's top 100 and seeded 29th, Jovic had stunned the tennis world with impressive wins, including an upset over seventh seed and two-time Slam finalist Jasmine Paolini. She also blitzed past experienced competitor Yulia Putintseva, losing just one game in that match.
However, Sabalenka proved to be an insurmountable challenge. Jovic started with some early errors, including sending the ball long on break point to surrender her serve and fall 2-0 behind in the first set. Despite fending off a break point later and creating three break opportunities as Sabalenka served for the set, Jovic could not overcome the top seed's brute force and consistency.
Sabalenka's Path to Glory
This victory books Sabalenka's 14th career Grand Slam semi-final and her fourth consecutive appearance at this stage in Melbourne. Having won the Australian Open in both 2023 and 2024, she seemed destined for another crown last year but was upset in the final by Madison Keys, whose title defence ended in the fourth round this year with a loss to Jessica Pegula.
In the semi-finals, Sabalenka will face either third seed Coco Gauff or 12th seed Elina Svitolina, setting up a high-stakes clash as she aims to solidify her dominance in women's tennis. Her performance against Jovic was a masterclass in control, breaking her opponent immediately in the second set to assert dominance. Jovic, visibly spent, conceded another break for 3-0 and then a double fault to slump 5-0 down, signaling the end of the contest.
With her powerful serves, including aces and unreturnable deliveries, Sabalenka has positioned herself as the favorite to lift the trophy once again, showcasing why she remains a formidable force on the hard courts of Melbourne.
