Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski and Brazil’s Luisa Stefani suffered a 7-6 (2), 3-6, 6-4 defeat to Kazakhstan’s Anna Danilina and Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic in the women’s doubles semifinals at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Thursday. The fifth-seeded Dabrowski and Stefani held a 3-1 lead in the final set before losing four consecutive games. Despite narrowing the gap to one with an unforced error, they were ultimately outplayed by Danilina and Krunic, who secured the victory with four straight winners. Dabrowski and Stefani managed to break serve on four out of eight opportunities and recorded four aces against two double faults. On the other hand, Danilina and Krunic capitalized on four out of six break chances, serving three aces and committing one double fault. The seventh-seeded pair also outperformed their opponents with 31 winners compared to 27.
Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka continued her dominant form by defeating Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-3, advancing to her fourth consecutive Australian Open final. Sabalenka’s victory set up a title clash with Elena Rybakina, who overcame Jessica Pegula 6-3, 7-6 (7) in the other semifinal match. The encounter between Rybakina and Pegula was highly competitive, with multiple twists and turns including missed match points and breaks of serve. Both Sabalenka and Svitolina entered the semifinals on 10-match winning streaks after triumphs in pre-tournament events, maintaining their unbeaten runs in Australia.
Sabalenka’s win was marred by a hindrance call during the fourth game, where umpire Louise Azemar Engzell penalized her for a prolonged grunt that affected Svitolina’s play. Despite the setback, Sabalenka regrouped to secure the victory, showcasing her mental toughness and determination. Reflecting on the match, Sabalenka expressed her frustration with the call but acknowledged that it fueled her aggression and ultimately propelled her to success. Svitolina, on the other hand, praised Sabalenka’s performance and resilience, highlighting the difficulty of facing the world number one in top form.
Svitolina, who had a strong start to the year with a title in New Zealand and a semifinal appearance at the Australian Open, emphasized the positive aspects of her recent performances and vowed to carry the momentum forward in the upcoming season. Despite the disappointment of falling short in the semifinals, Svitolina expressed gratitude for her successful run and acknowledged the challenge posed by Sabalenka in their encounter. This marked Svitolina’s fourth major semifinal appearance, reaffirming her status as a top contender on the tour.