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Sabalenka Crushes Teen Jovic, Powers Into Australian Open Semifinals

World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka decisively ended 18-year-old Iva Jovic's Australian Open run with a 6-3, 6-0 quarterfinal victory. The win marks Sabalenka's fourth consecutive semifinal appearance at the Melbourne major. She will next face either Coco Gauff or Elina Svitolina for a place in the final. Sabalenka also set a new record by winning her 20th consecutive Grand Slam tiebreak, surpassing a mark previously held by Novak Djokovic.

Key Points: Aryna Sabalenka Reaches Australian Open Semifinals

  • Sabalenka wins in under 90 minutes
  • Reaches 4th straight AO semifinal
  • Jovic's dream run ends
  • Next faces Gauff or Svitolina
  • Sets Grand Slam tiebreak record
2 min read

Australian Open: World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka storms into final four after defeating Iva Jovic

World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka defeats Iva Jovic 6-3, 6-0 to reach her fourth consecutive Australian Open semifinal. She awaits Gauff or Svitolina.

Australian Open: World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka storms into final four after defeating Iva Jovic
"She's a young, great player. Super happy to get this win in straight sets. - Aryna Sabalenka"

Melbourne, January 27

World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka crushed 18-year-old American Iva Jovic's Australian Open dream run, securing a 6-3, 6-0 victory on Rod Laver Arena in under 90 minutes.

This win in Melbourne on Tuesday marked Sabalenka's fourth consecutive Australian Open semifinal and 14th Grand Slam semifinal, as per the WTA Tour website.

She'll face either No. 3 seed Coco Gauff or No. 12 seed Elina Svitolina in the final four.

"She's a young, great player. Super happy to get this win in straight sets, happy with the level I played today and yeah, (she's an) amazing player," Sabalenka said after her match.

"The second set, I felt like I had to step in and put even more pressure on her. Because I can see that she's young, she's hungry, and I could tell during the match that no matter the score, she's still going to be there trying," Sabalenka added.

Jovic, who at 18 is the youngest player to reach the last eight at the Australian Open without dropping a set since Venus Williams in 1998.

Earlier, Sabalenka stormed into the women's singles quarterfinals of the ongoing Australian Open 2026 tournament on Sunday. The top-seeded player thrashed World No.17 Victoria Mboko in straight sets 6-1, 7-6(1) in a one-sided match on Rod Laver Arena.

The two-time Australian Open champion won her 20th consecutive tiebreak at Grand Slam level, eclipsing an almost two-decade old record owned by Novak Djokovic, who won 19 straight tiebreaks at majors between Wimbledon 2005 and 2007.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

A
Arjun K
While Sabalenka was dominant, I feel for the young American. Jovic's run was incredible for an 18-year-old. The future of women's tennis looks bright with such talents emerging. Sabalenka's experience just proved too much today.
R
Rohit P
Watching from Mumbai! The match timing was perfect for us. Sabalenka's power is just unreal. 6-0 in the second set against a quarterfinalist? That's a statement. Hope we get a Sabalenka vs. Gauff semi-final for a proper showdown.
S
Sarah B
As an Indian tennis fan, it's bittersweet. We celebrate such athletic excellence, but it also highlights how far our own players have to go to compete at this level consistently. More investment in grassroots tennis is needed.
V
Vikram M
Her record of 20 consecutive tiebreak wins at Slams is mind-blowing! That's pure clutch performance under pressure. She seems unstoppable on this surface. The women's draw is getting very exciting.
M
Michael C
Respectfully, while Sabalenka played well, the article feels a bit one-sided in its praise. Jovic's historic achievement as the youngest since Venus Williams deserved more than a passing mention. The focus should be on both athletes in a match report.

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