Aus Open: Sabalenka, Azarenka could set up all-Belarusian final; Linette, Rybakina in their way

Victoria Azarenka and Aryna Sabalenka will attempt on Thursday to set up an all-Belarusian final at the Australian Open, and in doing so give organisers a headache.

Two-time Melbourne champion Azarenka faces Elena Rybakina in the first women’s semifinal on Rod Laver Arena, with Sabalenka up against Poland’s unseeded Magda Linette after that.

Should Azarenka and Sabalenka progress to Saturday’s final, it will be the first time two Belarusian players have contested the championship match at a tennis major.

“I really want it to happen,” said Sabalenka, the fifth seed who is yet to drop a set in 2023 after winning the Adelaide International earlier this month.

“I know that Vika will do everything she can to make it happen. I will do everything I can to make it happen. That’s going to be history.”

It could pose a challenge, however, for organisers of the first Grand Slam of the year.

Players from Russia and Belarus are competing at the Australian Open as independents under a neutral white flag because of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

The flags of Russia and Belarus – a key Moscow ally – are banned at Melbourne Park.

Surprise-package Linette and Moscow-born Kazakh Rybakina will have no interest in Belarusian history lessons.

Sabalenka is the highest-ranked player left in the women’s draw at fifth in the world and is favourite to win her first Grand Slam.

But she will be wary of 45th-ranked Linette, who has already accounted for four seeds on her surprise journey into the last four.

The 33-year-old Azarenka is chasing a hat-trick of titles at Melbourne Park, 10 years after she won her second, but knows she similarly has her work cut out against the dangerous Rybakina.

The 22nd-seeded Rybakina has a huge serve and won Wimbledon last year.

She was awarded no ranking points for it because of Wimbledon’s ban on Russian and Belarusian players last year, otherwise she would have been in the top 10 now.

The 23-year-old defeated top seed and world number one Iga Swiatek in the fourth round.

“She’s a very good, solid player. Her ranking obviously doesn’t tell the full story,” said Azarenka, seeded 24.

“Very powerful. Big serve. She’s in the semifinal, so she’s obviously playing amazing,” Azarenka added.

The semifinalists

Elena Rybakina (KAZ) v Victoria Azarenka (BLR)
Head-to-head: Rybakina leads 1-0

Elena Rybakina
Age: 23
World ranking: 25
Prize money: $6,389,853
Career titles: 3
Grand Slam titles: 1 (Wimbledon 2022)
Australian Open best: Semifinal (2023)
Coach: Stefano Vukov
Path to the semifinal:
1st rd: bt Elisabetta Coociaretto (ITA) 7-5, 6-3
2nd rd: bt Kaja Juvan (SLO) 6-2, 6-1
3rd rd: bt Danielle Collins (USA x13) 6-2, 5-7, 6-2
4th rd: bt Iga Swiatek (POL x1) 6-4, 6-4
Quarterfinal: bt Jelena Ostapenko (LAT x17) 6-2, 6-4

Victoria Azarenka
Age: 33
World ranking: 24
Prize money: $34,927,5383
Career titles: 21
Grand Slam titles: 2 (Australian Open 2012, 2013)
Australian Open best: Champion (2012, 2013)
Coach: Maxime Tchoutakian
Path to the semifinal:
1st rd: bt Sofia Kenin (USA) 6-4, 7-6 (7/3)
2nd rd: bt Nadia Podoroska (ARG) 6-1, 6-0
3rd rd: bt Madison Keys (USA x10) 1-6, 6-2, 6-1
4th rd: bt Zhu Lin (CHN) 4-6, 6-1, 6-4
Quarterfinal: bt Jessica Pegula (USA x3) 6-4, 6-1

Magda Linette (POL) v Aryna Sabalenka (BLR)
Head-to-head: Sabalenka leads 2-0

Magda Linette
Age: 30
World ranking: 45
Prize money: $4,301,282
Career titles: 2
Grand Slam titles: 0
Australian Open best: Semifinal (2023)
Coach: Mark Gellard
Path to the semifinal:
1st rd: bt Mayar Sherif (EGY) 7-5, 6-1
2nd rd: bt Anett Kontaveit (EST x16) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
3rd rd: bt Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS x19) 6-3, 6-4
4th rd: bt Caroline Garcia (FRA x4) 7-6 (7/3), 6-4
Quarterfinal: bt Karolina Pliskova (CZE x30) 6-3, 7-5

Aryna Sabalenka
Age: 24
World ranking: 5
Prize money: $12,302,010
Career titles: 11
Grand Slam titles: 0
Australian Open best: Semi-final (2023)
Coach: Anton Dubrov
Path to the semifinal:
1st rd: bt Tereza Martincova (CZE) 6-1, 6-4
2nd rd: bt Shelby Rogers (USA) 6-3, 6-1
3rd rd: bt Elise Mertens (BEL x26) 6-2, 6-3
4th rd: bt Belinda Bencic (SUI x12) 7-5, 6-2
Quarterfinal: bt Donna Vekic (CRO) 6-3, 6-2