Aryna Sabalenka ended the teenage challenge at the Australian Open with an emphatic quarter-final final victory over Iva Jovic.<\/p>\n
Having defeated 19-year-old Victoria Mboko in the fourth round, the world number one dropped just three games against 18-year-old American Jovic in a 6-3 6-0 victory.<\/p>\n
The scoreline was harsh on the youngster, who was quite competitive in many points but time and again came out on the wrong end of games.<\/p>\n
It has nevertheless been a breakthrough tournament for Jovic, who only celebrated her birthday last month, and she will hit the top 20 for the first time next month.<\/p>\n
“These teenagers are testing me in the last couple of rounds,” said Sabalenka, who has now reached at least the semi-finals at 12 of the last 13 grand slams she has contested.<\/p>\n
“She’s an incredible player, it was a tough match \u2013 don\u2019t look at the score, it wasn\u2019t easy at all. I\u2019m super happy with the win, it was a tough battle.”<\/p>\n
With the hottest day in Melbourne for 17 years forecast and temperatures set to reach around 45C, efficiency was of the essence for Sabalenka, who is yet to drop a set.<\/p>\n
Things might have become more complicated had she not clinched the opening set in a long ninth game, saving three break points before clinching her third set point.<\/p>\n
After that, she did not lose another game, and the roof closed on Rod Laver Arena as Sabalenka conducted her post-match interview, with the tournament\u2019s heat stress scale hitting the cut-off mark of five shortly before 1.30pm.<\/p>\n
“At the end of the match, it was really hot out there,” said the 27-year-old. “I\u2019m glad they closed the roof almost halfway so we had a lot of shade in the back.”<\/p>\n
Sabalenka added with a smile: “I guess, as a woman, we are stronger than the guys, so they had to close the roof for the guys so they don\u2019t suffer.<\/p>\n
“I knew going into this match that they won\u2019t let us play in crazy heat. If it would reach the five, they would definitely close the roof, so I knew that they were protecting us, our health. It\u2019s OK. I\u2019m happy that I managed.”<\/p>\n
2018, lost to Mertens
2019, lost to Osaka
2025, lost to Keys
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Elina Svitolina, you are an AO semifinalist \ud83d\udc4f@wwos<\/a> @espn<\/a> @tntsports<\/a> @wowowtennis<\/a> #AO26<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/p59iG69Bvw<\/a><\/p>\n