Aryna Sabalenka, the world No. 1 and two-time defending champion, secured her spot in the Australian Open 2025 semifinals by defeating 27th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in a challenging three-set match. Sabalenka took the first set 6-2, but Pavlyuchenkova responded by winning the second set 6-2, ending Sabalenka’s 26-set winning streak at Melbourne Park. In the decisive third set, despite Pavlyuchenkova leading by a break twice, Sabalenka regained control to clinch the match with a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 victory.
This win propels Sabalenka into the semifinals, where she will face 11th seed Paula Badosa, who upset third seed Coco Gauff earlier in the tournament. Sabalenka is aiming to become the first player in 26 years to win three consecutive Australian Open titles—a feat last achieved by Martina Hingis, who triumphed in Melbourne in 1997, 1998, and 1999.
| Key Stats | Sabalenka | Pavlyuchenkova |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 1.13 | 0.88 |
| Winners | 29 | 23 |
| Unforced Errors | 27 | 23 |
| Serve Rating | 239 | 210 |
| Aces | 3 | 3 |
| Double Faults | 3 | 5 |
| 1st Serve % | 69% (52/75) | 62% (49/79) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 65% (34/52) | 63% (31/49) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 43% (10/23) | 37% (11/30) |
| Break Points Saved | 38% (3/8) | 25% (2/8) |
| Service Games | 62% (8/13) | 50% (6/12) |
| Ace % | 4% | 3.8% |
| Double Fault % | 4% | 6.3% |
| Return Rating | 225 | 193 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 37% (18/49) | 35% (18/52) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 63% (19/30) | 57% (13/23) |
| Break Points Won | 75% (6/8) | 63% (5/8) |
| Return Games | 50% (6/12) | 38% (5/13) |
| Pressure Points | 56% (9/16) | 44% (7/16) |
| Service Points | 59% (44/75) | 53% (42/79) |
| Return Points | 47% (37/79) | 41% (31/75) |
| Net Points | 83% (5/6) | 75% (9/12) |
| Total Points | 53% (81/154) | 47% (73/154) |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 0 |
| Max Points In A Row | 8 | 7 |
| Service Games | 62% (8/13) | 50% (6/12) |
| Return Games | 50% (6/12) | 38% (5/13) |
| Total Games | 56% (14/25) | 44% (11/25) |
| Max Games In A Row | 3 | 4 |
| Injury timeouts | 0 | 0 |