Sabalenka powers into Australian Open final after beating Badosa in straight sets

Aryna Sabalenka has powered into the final of the Australian Open by seeing off her good friend and the 11th seed Paula Badosa under the roof on Rod Laver Arena as she continues her pursuit of a third straight title at Melbourne Park.

The Belarusian’s forehand and serve proved too powerful despite Badosa’s early resistance, and the world No 1 pulled away in the second set to win the tournament’s first semi-final 6-4, 6-2 in 86 minutes.

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Sabalenka took time to find her range, and for much of the first set this match appeared on a knife edge, as an avalanche of unforced errors from the world No 1 kept her opponent in it. But after the roof closed midway through the set, the defending champion elevated her game and Badosa had few answers.

The 11th seed was a surprise participant in the semis after her upset of American Coco Gauff in the quarter-finals. But in the early stages of her first appearance in the last four of a grand slam, the Spaniard looked the better player. She broke Sabalenka in her first service game and had multiple chances to take a 3-0 lead in the first set.

“Somehow I was able to turn around the game in that crucial game,” Sabalenka said. “That was a super tough match against the friend, super happy for her, to see her on her highest level.”

The defending champion may have arrived slowly for this contest but she left in a rush. Half an hour into this compelling duel the scoreboard still showed 2-2, but the favourite eventually took control and claimed the first frame in 53 minutes. The entire second set took just 33 minutes. After an uneven tournament prior to Thursday this was a statement display by Sabalenka, who is now the first player to reach a third-straight final at Melbourne Park since Serena Williams in 2017.

Although the match was over more quickly than the crowded Rod Laver Arena would have liked, it was a terrific display of tennis played on the tournament’s day to celebrate women and girls in the sport. The umpire and ball kids were all female, and the clash between two friends was contested in good spirits.

One moment in the second set highlight the rapport between the players. Badosa stumbled and fell while chasing a forehand, her racquet spraying across the court. For a moment she looked injured and Sabalenka showed concern. But the Spanish player gave her the signal she was fine, smiling at the embarrassment and later mocking her own clumsiness.

Recognising she was well beaten, Badosa celebrated when she held serve in the penultimate game and looked to the heavens and expressed thanks. The pair expressed a warm embrace at the net at the conclusion.

Sabalenka is confident they will remain friends. “I’m sure she’ll hate me for the next day or two, I’m OK with that, I can handle that. And after that, I think we’re back to be friends, back to go out together shopping,” she said. “I promise, Paula, we go shopping and I pay for whatever she wants.”

The second semi-final on Thursday night pits second seed Iga Swiatek against American Madison Keys.