Aryna Sabalenka Overcomes Extreme Heat To Reach Australian Open Semi-Finals

Last Updated:January 27, 2026, 11:26 IST

Aryna Sabalenka beat Iva Jovic in 45C heat to reach the Australian Open semi-finals. Carlos Alcaraz faces Alex de Minaur for a spot against Alexander Zverev or Learner Tien.

Aryna Sabalenka at the Australian Open (AP)

Aryna Sabalenka triumphed despite extreme heat, reaching 45C, and faced off against one of tennis’s most promising talents to advance to the semi-finals of the Australian Open. Later on Tuesday, Carlos Alcaraz will attempt to join her.

World number one Sabalenka defeated 18-year-old American Iva Jovic 6-3, 6-0 and will compete against either third seed Coco Gauff or 12th seed Elina Svitolina for a spot in the final.

Sabalenka, the top seed from Belarus, is aiming for her third Melbourne title in four years and is in excellent form, having not dropped a set yet.

“These teenagers have been testing me in the last couple of rounds," said the 27-year-old Sabalenka, who is on a 10-match win streak following her victory in Brisbane this month.

“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."

The match was held in the hot sun on Rod Laver Arena, with temperatures reaching 38C. Shortly after the match, organisers closed the roof, allowing the remaining three quarter-finals to be played in much cooler conditions.

The decision was made after the tournament reached its maximum “heat stress" rating of five for the second time in four days, a measure intended to safeguard players, fans, and officials. Matches on outdoor courts, which were scheduled to host junior boys’ and girls’ matches, were suspended. On Saturday, temperatures hit 40C, causing a pause in play on outside courts for about five hours.

Jovic, the youngest player in the women’s top 100 and seeded 29, saw her breakthrough tournament come to an end. She had stunned seventh seed and two-time Slam finalist Jasmine Paolini and swiftly defeated the experienced Yulia Putintseva, losing just one game, making a strong impression on the world. However, Sabalenka proved to be an insurmountable challenge.

Alcaraz faces the challenge of defeating not just Alex de Minaur but also a patriotic home crowd to secure his first Australian Open semi-final. The winner will compete against German third seed Alexander Zverev, who lost the final last year to Jannik Sinner, or American next-gen star Learner Tien. The 22-year-old Spaniard Alcaraz has won six Grand Slams but has yet to progress beyond the last eight in Melbourne.

De Minaur has not advanced past the quarter-finals in any Slam and is counting on the support of home fans to help him pull off an upset in the last match of the day on centre court.

“For me, it just comes down to I’m going to have to bring some of my best tennis," said the Australian, who has lost all five previous encounters with Alcaraz. “Once I rock up on Tuesday and I walk on court, you just deal with whatever’s in front of you," he added about the prospect of a closed roof.

(With agency inputs)

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