Aryna Sabalenka sweeps Coco Gauff to reach Australian Open final
Aryna Sabalenka sought "revenge" against Coco Gauff and got it in the Australian Open semifinals.
Sabalenka prevailed 7-6 (2), 6-4 to reach Saturday's final, where she will bid for a repeat title.
Sabalenka, who hasn't dropped a set in six rounds, said before the match that she wanted "revenge" after squandering a one-set lead over Gauff in the U.S. Open final in September.
Next, Sabalenka plays 12th seed Zheng Qinwen of China, who defeated 93rd-ranked Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska 6-4, 6-4 in the other semifinal.
AUSTRALIAN OPEN DRAWS: Women | Men
Sabalenka snapped Gauff's 12-match win streak in Grand Slams and a 10-match win streak overall to start 2024.
Gauff had chances in the first set. She overcame five double faults in her first three service games to secure a break while Sabalenka served for the set. But Gauff was later broken serving for the set as Sabalenka reeled off 11 of the last 13 points.
Sabalenka then broke Gauff at 4-all in the second and served it out.
Had Gauff won Thursday, she would have become the first American to reach No. 2 in the world rankings since Serena Williams was last there in 2017.
The Australian Open marked Gauff's last Grand Slam as a teenager. She has made the second week of a Slam in six consecutive years dating to her breakout run at 2019 Wimbledon at age 15.
