Aryna Sabalenka defeated Australian Open champion Madison Keys in a repeat of final 12 months’s Australian Open closing, because the world primary continued her preparations for the primary slam of the 12 months by reaching the semi-finals on the Brisbane International.
Belarusian Sabalenka will search to win a 3rd Australian Open title in 4 years later this month, having triumphed back-to-back in 2023 and 2024 earlier than shedding to Keys in three units in final 12 months’s showpiece.
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The 27-year-old, a four-time main winner, maintained her sturdy begin to the 12 months with a 3rd consecutive straight-sets win, conceding simply 13 video games throughout the six units she has performed.
“I know that I lost in Australia against her, and that’s the big motivation of course to go out and to get the win,” stated defending champion Sabalenka, who beat Keys at Indian Wells final March.
“But I never stay in the past and never remember things from the previous meeting. My approach is like it’s a new match, doesn’t matter what happened in the past, I have to go out there and play my best tennis.”
Defeating American Keys 6-3 6-3, Sabalenka will meet Karolina Muchova for a spot within the Brisbane closing after the Czech participant upset world quantity 5 Elena Rybakina 6-2 2-6 6-4.
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Muchova, ranked twentieth, held her nerve in a good deciding set to finish former Wimbledon champion Rybakina’s 13-match successful streak.
A French Open runner-up in 2023, Muchova has received her final three matches in opposition to Sabalenka.
Defeats for Kartal and Jones
Great Britain’s Sonay Kartal served for the match however ultimately misplaced to world quantity 13 Elina Svitolina in a final-set tie-break of their quarter-final match on the ASB Classic.
The 68th-ranked 24-year-old responded after shedding the opening set to drive a decider, which she had the prospect to serve out at 5-3, however fell to a 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (7-5) defeat.
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Kartal was aiming to reach the second tour-level semi-final of her profession, however it’s two-time Wimbledon semi-finalist Svitolina who will proceed her pursuit of a nineteenth profession WTA title as the highest seed in Auckland.
Fellow Briton Fran Jones retired from her quarter-final with harm in opposition to China’s Wang Xiyu when trailing 6-4 4-3.