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IMAGE: USA’s Coco Gauff in motion in opposition to compatriot Emma Navarro throughout the Auckland Open semi-final on Saturday. {Photograph}: Sort courtesy ASB Traditional/X
World quantity two Aryna Sabalenka beat Victoria Azarenka 6-2 6-4 on the Brisbane Worldwide on Saturday to e book a tantalising ultimate in opposition to Elena Rybakina in what shall be a rematch of their 2023 Australian Open title conflict.
Sabalenka made her Grand Slam breakthrough by lifting the trophy at Melbourne Park final yr however misplaced to Rybakina within the Indian Wells ultimate and Beijing quarter-finals earlier than profitable the most recent chapter of their rivalry on the WTA Finals.
The Belarusian can enhance her 5-2 win-loss file in opposition to Rybakina on Sunday and bag her first trophy this season forward of her title defence on the Jan. 14-28 Australian Open.
High seed Sabalenka broke for a 3-1 lead with a determined return from deep that drew an error from her compatriot Azarenka on the web and overcame wobbles in her subsequent two service video games to say the opening set.
She saved two break factors to clinch the ninth sport of the second set and accomplished the win when eighth-seeded Azarenka dropped serve within the following sport.
World quantity 4 Rybakina earlier defeated Czech teenager Linda Noskova 6-3 6-2 to achieve her fifteenth profession singles ultimate and fourth in Australia.
High seed Holger Rune overcame Roman Safiullin 6-4 7-6(0) within the final 4 of the lads’s draw, establishing a ultimate in opposition to second seed Grigor Dimitrov who beat Jordan Thompson 6-3 7-5 within the second semi-final.
“I believe I did properly to be sincere. When he was hitting laborious I used to be there with some good counter-punches,” stated the 20-year-old Rune, who reached his ninth tour-level ultimate.
“I managed to shut it out in two units, which is sweet for the vitality. I am enjoying higher tennis day by day and bodily I am feeling nice, so I am joyful.”
GAUFF SURGES
High seed Coco Gauff will proceed her defence of the Auckland Traditional title in Sunday’s ultimate after the united statesOpen champion beat fellow American Emma Navarro 6-3 6-1 within the Australian Open warm-up match.
The world quantity three meets Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, who wanted remedy for a again drawback twice as she battled from a set all the way down to beat China’s Wang Xiyu 2-6 6-4 6-3.
“Undoubtedly begin to my 2024, Emma’s an unbelievable participant,” Gauff stated. “I wished to be aggressive in my serve and return. We performed a follow set earlier than the match began and she or he was enjoying rather well.
“I knew I needed to be at my finest if I wished to win.”
Gauff made a commanding begin and held a 4-2 lead within the first set when rain, which has fallen recurrently all through the match, briefly stopped play.
The 19-year-old American continued her robust exhibiting, extending her lead upon the gamers’ return to the courtroom and ultimately profitable the primary set with few considerations.
Gauff tightened her grip when she broke her compatriot’s serve within the opening sport of the second set and consolidated her lead additional after a Navarro mis-hit within the fifth sport to provide her an unassailable lead.
Thiem into Australian Open fundamental draw
IMAGE: Dominic Thiem will not should play the Australian Open qualifiers. {Photograph}: Stephanie Lecocq/Reuters
Dominic Thiem, US Open winner in 2020, has secured a spot in the principle draw of the Australian Open after the withdrawal of Reilly Opelka, the match organisers confirmed on Friday.
Thiem, who misplaced to Rafal Nadal 7-5, 6-1 within the first spherical of the Brisbane Worldwide on Tuesday, will now enter the primary spherical of the Australian Open which begins on January 14 and avoids the qualifiers.
The 30-year-old Austrian broke the Grand Slam stranglehold of Roger Federer, Nadal and Novak Djokovic by profitable the 2020 US Open however a wrist damage the next yr sidelined him for months.
Thiem additionally reached the Australian Open ultimate in 2020, shedding to Djokovic. Now ranked 98th, Thiem gained his first match at a Grand Slam since 2021 on the U.S. Open in August final yr earlier than shedding to Alexander Bublik within the second spherical.
Hurkacz, Swiatek win as Poland march into United Cup ultimate
IMAGE: Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz in motion throughout the United Cup singles semi-final match in opposition to France’s Adrian Mannarino at Ken Rosewall Area, Sydney on Saturday. {Photograph}: Jaimi Pleasure/Reuters
Poland reached the ultimate of the United Cup blended workforce match with a 2-0 victory over France on Saturday as Hubert Hurkacz and Iga Swiatek battled previous their singles opponents.
World No. 9 Hurkacz staved off a late comeback try by Adrian Mannarino and prevailed 6-3, 7-5, handing prime seeds Poland a 1-0 lead within the $10 million match, which started final week with 18 nations in competition.
Swiatek endured a tougher outing in opposition to Caroline Garcia, because the world No. 1 dropped the opening set earlier than rediscovering her prime stage and profitable 4-6, 6-1, 6-1.
An early double break within the decider put Swiatek forward 4-0 and the 22-year-old by no means regarded again from there as she claimed her fourth straight singles win of the season forward of this month’s Australian Open.
Hosts Australia and Germany face off later in Sydney’s Ken Rosewall Area for a spot in Sunday’s ultimate in opposition to Poland.
The Australian Open runs from January 14-28.
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