The opening set was a statement. The second offered Svitolina a flicker of resistance — and then the inevitable.
Sabalenka Sets the Tone Early
From the outset, Sabalenka dictated the match. Her serve landed heavy, her returns came back deeper, and rallies tilted decisively in her favor. Svitolina struggled to find any sustained foothold as Sabalenka surged ahead, stringing together games with brute efficiency.
Any pressure Svitolina applied was absorbed and redirected. Sabalenka converted her advantage cleanly, closing out the opening set 6–2 with little room for debate.
Sabalenka vs Svitolina – Set One Stats
| Statistic | Sabalenka | Svitolina |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 1.50 | 0.67 |
| Winners | 18 | 7 |
| Unforced Errors | 9 | 8 |
| Serve Rating | 308 | 204 |
| Aces | 0 | 2 |
| Double Faults | 0 | 1 |
| 1st Serve % | 70% (19/27) | 53% (18/34) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 63% (12/19) | 50% (9/18) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 75% (6/8) | 50% (8/16) |
| Break Points Saved | 100% (2/2) | 60% (3/5) |
| Service Games Won | 100% (4/4) | 50% (2/4) |
| Ace % | 0% | 5.9% |
| Double Fault % | 0% | 2.9% |
| Return Rating | 190 | 62 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 50% (9/18) | 37% (7/19) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 50% (8/16) | 25% (2/8) |
| Break Points Won | 40% (2/5) | 0% (0/2) |
| Return Games Won | 50% (2/4) | 0% (0/4) |
| Pressure Points Won | 57% (4/7) | 43% (3/7) |
| Service Points Won | 67% (18/27) | 50% (17/34) |
| Return Points Won | 50% (17/34) | 33% (9/27) |
| Net Points Won | 70% (7/10) | 50% (3/6) |
| Total Points Won | 57% (35/61) | 43% (26/61) |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 0 |
| Max Points In A Row | 5 | 2 |
| Service Games | 100% (4/4) | 50% (2/4) |
| Return Games | 50% (2/4) | 0% (0/4) |
| Total Games | 75% (6/8) | 25% (2/8) |
| Max Games In A Row | 3 | 1 |
| Set Duration | 0h42m | |
Brief Resistance, Total Control Restored
Svitolina struck first in the second set, breaking Sabalenka early as frustration briefly surfaced on the Belarusian’s side. The Ukrainian consolidated the break with a hold to love and moved 2–0 ahead, injecting a momentary sense of uncertainty into the semifinal.
It did not last.
Sabalenka responded immediately, leveling the set at 2–2 with a hold to love and a sharp break back. A brief hindrance call soon followed — a rare interruption in the flow — but it failed to derail Sabalenka’s momentum. If anything, it sharpened it.
From that point on, the world No. 1 was relentless. She reeled off three games in a row, breaking again to move ahead 4–2, then holding firmly to stretch the lead to 5–2.
Svitolina refused to disappear quietly, saving match-point danger by holding for 5–3, forcing Sabalenka to serve it out. The response was clinical. Sabalenka closed without hesitation, sealing the set 6–3 and booking her place in another Melbourne final in under an hour.
Sabalenka vs Svitolina – Set Two Stats
| Statistic | Sabalenka | Svitolina |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 1.61 | 0.62 |
| Winners | 11 | 5 |
| Unforced Errors | 6 | 9 |
| Serve Rating | 278 | 206 |
| Aces | 0 | 0 |
| Double Faults | 1 | 2 |
| 1st Serve % | 63% (17/27) | 61% (14/23) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 76% (13/17) | 64% (9/14) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 60% (6/10) | 33% (3/9) |
| Break Points Saved | 50% (1/2) | 0% (0/2) |
| Service Games Won | 80% (4/5) | 50% (2/4) |
| Ace % | 0% | 0% |
| Double Fault % | 3.7% | 8.7% |
| Return Rating | 253 | 134 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 36% (5/14) | 24% (4/17) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 67% (6/9) | 40% (4/10) |
| Break Points Won | 100% (2/2) | 50% (1/2) |
| Return Games Won | 50% (2/4) | 20% (1/5) |
| Pressure Points Won | 75% (3/4) | 25% (1/4) |
| Service Points Won | 70% (19/27) | 52% (12/23) |
| Return Points Won | 48% (11/23) | 30% (8/27) |
| Net Points Won | – (0/0) | 67% (2/3) |
| Total Points Won | 60% (30/50) | 40% (20/50) |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 0 |
| Max Points In A Row | 8 | 7 |
| Service Games | 80% (4/5) | 50% (2/4) |
| Return Games | 50% (2/4) | 20% (1/5) |
| Total Games | 67% (6/9) | 33% (3/9) |
| Max Games In A Row | 5 | 2 |
| Set Duration | 0h35m | |
Another Final, Same Standard
Sabalenka now awaits either Jessica Pegula or Elena Rybakina in the championship match. Both pose real questions. Neither will be allowed many answers if this level holds.
The message from the semifinal was unmistakable: the Australian Open remains Sabalenka territory.
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