Aryna Sabalenka two wins away from immortality at Australian Open

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka survived a scare against Russian veteran Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the 2025 Australian Open quarterfinal on Tuesday. 

After dropping the second set in a hurry, the Belarusian lost another service game — her fifth in a row — to fall to 1-2 in the deciding set. Just as she appeared on the verge of an upset, Sabalenka flipped the switch and began firing her signature backhand winners, winning back a break and serving with more poise. She won another break of serve in the eighth game when Pavlyuchenkova committed a double fault and made three unforced errors within four points.

Sabalenka then held her serve to clinch a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 win to set up a semifinal clash against Paula Badosa. She is now two wins away from becoming the first woman since Martina Hingis (1997-99) to three-peat at the Australian Open. 

She is now 19-0 at the slam, dating back to her dominant performance in 2023 when she dropped only one set en route to her first major. Last year, she coasted to her second title without dropping a set, including a dominant 6-3, 6-2 win in the final against Qinwen Zheng.