Sabalenka Secures First Semifinal Spot

Belarusian star Aryna Sabalenka has confirmed her place in the semifinals of the year’s opening Grand Slam, the Australian Open, with a commanding victory over teenage American prodigy Eva Jovic at the Rod Laver Arena. In sweltering conditions, Sabalenka triumphed 6-3, 6-0, demonstrating both her power and composure on the hardcourt.

Meanwhile, German sensation Alexander Zverev also secured his spot in the last four, powered by his devastating serve.

Sabalenka is now on course for a fourth consecutive Australian Open final, having not lost a single set throughout the tournament. Following her Brisbane triumph, she has remained unbeaten in ten successive matches. Despite the scorching 38°C heat during her encounter with 18-year-old Jovic, the 27-year-old Sabalenka displayed remarkable resilience.

Reflecting on the match, Sabalenka said, “The young players over the past few rounds have really tested me. Even though the scoreline looks straightforward, the match was far from easy. Eva played brilliantly and pushed me to raise my level.”

Due to the extreme heat, organisers opted to close the roof over Rod Laver Arena immediately after the match, providing a relatively more comfortable environment for the remaining three quarterfinals. In consideration of player, spectator, and official safety, scheduled junior matches outdoors were temporarily suspended. Sabalenka will next face twelfth seed Alina Svitolina on Thursday in pursuit of the championship.

For Jovic, the tournament has nonetheless been memorable. At just 18, and ranked inside the top 100, she caused upsets in both the third round against seventh seed Jasmine Paolini and the fourth round against experienced Yulia Putintseva, earning plaudits for her impressive performances.

Zverev’s Serve Dominance

In the men’s draw, last year’s runner-up Zverev defeated American Learner Tien 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, 7-6 (7-3) to secure his semifinal berth. With temperatures outside reaching 43°C, the match was played under the closed roof, allowing Zverev to unleash a series of blistering serves, recording 24 aces.

After the match, the 28-year-old said, “Without my serve, I might not have won today. I’m really pleased with how my serving worked.” Last year, Zverev reached his first Grand Slam final, losing to Jannik Sinner, and his impressive serve proved decisive against Tien, who was contesting his biggest career match at just 20.

Zverev’s semifinal opponent will be either top seed Carlos Alcaraz or Australian home favourite Alex de Minaur. Despite having six Grand Slam titles to his name, Alcaraz has never progressed beyond the quarterfinals in Melbourne.

Quarterfinal Results Table – Australian Open 2026