Sabalenka sweeps aside teen sensation Jovic to enter Australian Open semis

Aryna Sabalenka delivered a commanding performance to brush aside 18-year-old American Iva Jovic 6-3, 6-0 in the Australian Open quarterfinals, keeping her bid for a third Melbourne Park crown firmly alive.

The world No. 1, who lifted the title in 2023 and 2024 and finished runner-up last season, showed little mercy in the scorching conditions on Tuesday, dismantling the teenage breakthrough star with ruthless efficiency.

Sabalenka will next face either Coco Gauff or Elina Svitolina with a spot in Saturday’s final on the line.

Reflecting on her recent run, the Belarusian acknowledged the challenge posed by younger opponents, having also beaten 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko in the previous round.

“These young players have really been pushing me,” Sabalenka said. “The scoreline doesn’t tell the full story. She played outstanding tennis and forced me to raise my level. It was a very demanding match.”

Sabalenka set the tone early, surging to a 3-0 advantage in the opening set. Jovic, competing in her first Grand Slam quarterfinal, showed resilience by digging deep to hold serve in the fourth game and using her court speed to trouble the more seasoned world number one. Despite that resistance, Sabalenka wrapped up the first set in under an hour.

The 27-year-old tightened her grip in the second set, breaking serve immediately with a fierce cross-court winner. From there, the four-time major champion was in complete control, converting two more break opportunities to seal a place in the semifinals with authority.

Sabalenka made it clear her ambitions in Melbourne remain singular. “For every player here, it’s all about winning the trophy,” she said. “That mindset is always there, but I’m focusing on doing the right things and taking it match by match, point by point.”

The contest was played with the roof open at Rod Laver Arena in searing 38°C (100°F) conditions, but the heat posed no problem for the top seed. Riding a 10-match winning streak following her Brisbane International title, Sabalenka praised her level in the second set.

“I knew I had to step up and show my quality,” she said. “That helped me commit to my shots and really trust my game.”

The loss brought the curtain down on a breakout Australian Open campaign for Jovic, the youngest player inside the women’s top 100 and the tournament’s 29th seed.

The American teenager had caught the spotlight by upsetting seventh seed and two-time Grand Slam finalist Jasmine Paolini before cruising past veteran Yulia Putintseva, dropping just a single game along the way to announce herself on the big stage.

Against Sabalenka, however, the step up proved decisive.

“I think Aryna played really well,” Jovic said afterward. “There are things I could have done differently, but that’s tennis.

“What she has achieved in her career is incredible and very inspiring,” she added, paying tribute to the four-time major champion.

Jovic also praised Sabalenka’s resilience, noting how the world number one has transformed setbacks on court and in her personal life into motivation.

“That ability to turn difficult moments into fuel to improve is amazing,” she said. “I hope I get more opportunities to play her again — and she was very kind to me at the end of the match.”