'Job Not Done Yet'! Aryna Sabalenka Looks To Banish Ghost Of AO Past After Securing Finals Berth

Last Updated:January 29, 2026, 16:43 IST

Sabalenka, who stumbled at the final hurdle as she lost the summit clash to American Jessica Pegula, and would be focused on avoiding a repeat of the painful defeat.

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus gestures into as TV camera following her semifinal match against Elina Svitolina of Ukraine at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

Aryna Sabalenka moved into her fourth-straight final at the Australian Open on Thursday with her win over Elina Svitolina in the semifinal encounter between the two at the Rod Laver Arena.

Sabalenka registered a 6-2, 6-3 demolition of the Ukrainian Svitolina to seal her passage into the summit clash, but isn’t ready to take her eye off the ball in order to rectify her error from last year.

Sabalenka, who was on the hunt for an elusive three-peat at the AO, stumbled at the final hurdle as she lost the summit clash in Melbourne Park to American Madison Keys, and would be focused on avoiding a repeat of the painful incident when she walks out onto the court for the decider on Saturday.

“I’m super happy with the win, she’s a really tough opponent, she was playing really incredible tennis throughout the whole week," the Belarussian said.

“But the job is not done yet," she added.

Sabalenka had expressed her intent to reclaim the Melbourne crown in a bid to banish ghosts of last year’s final and will take on either American Jessica Pegula or Elena Rybakina in the summit clash on the weekend.

Like other players from Ukraine, Svitolina does not shake hands with opponents from Russia or Moscow’s ally Belarus because of the war.

An announcement was made before the semi-final at Rod Laver Arena and a statement flashed up on a big screen saying there would be no handshake, asking fans to respect that.

Sabalenka, who stood the chance to etch her name in history books alongside the likes of the legendary Margret Court, Evonne Goolagong, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles and Martina Hingis to secure a three-peat, was shocked by Keys in the final of the 2025 season of the year’s first major in a massive upset for the Belarussia.

And she would be looking to right the wrongs this time around!

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