Australian Open 2025: Aryna Sabalenka Targets Hat-Trick, Joining Legends Like Margaret Court, Steffi Graf

Aryna Sabalenka insisted she will continue to take each game step by step at the Australian Open as she hunts a record-equalling third straight crown in Melbourne. (More Tennis News)

Sabalenka overcame a quarter-finaꦛl scare in her clash against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, eventually emerging a 6-2 2-6 6-3 victor in one hour and 53 minutes.

She is now the second player in the last 15 years 🔯to reach three consecutive women’s singles semi-final♊s at the Australian Open after Serena Williams (2015-2017). 

Sabalenka is also the first 🌸woman to win 19+ straight singles matches at the Au✱stralian Open since Martina Hingis, who claimed 27 consecutive wins at the event between 1997 and 2000.

The Belarusian will face ♚Paula Badosa in the final four after she stunned Coco🃏 Gauff 7-5 6-4 to reach her maiden grand slam semi-final. 

Sabalenka now has history within her sights 𓆉as she aims to become the first player since Hingis, from 1997 to 1999, to win three consecutive 🌌Australian Open titles.

Margaret Court (1969-71), Evonne Goolagong (1974-76), Steffi Graf (1988-🌠90) and Monica Seles (1991-93) have also achieved the feat, but Sabalenka was quick not to overlook her upcoming clꦿash with Badosa. 

"Well, you know, it's a big question. I'm really happy that I put myself in this situation where I have th🐎e opportunity to become one of them," Sabalenka said.

"To be next to those names, wow, that's just a dream. Of course, it has always been in the back of my mind that I could do that.ꦑ My main focus is, as you said, step by step.

"I know 🌱that if I'll be able to bring my best tennis to each game, if not the best tennis, then the best fighting spirit, I know that I'm capa🦩ble of doing that.

"I'm just trying to focus on myself and on br🎀inging my best tennis every time I'm out there."

Sabalenka ended the 2024 season with victory over Jessica Pegula at the US O🐠pen, winning her third grand slam title, wh🍸ile she also reclaimed the year-end number one spot. 

And she will fancy her chances of reaching yet another final given her rec☂ord against her upcoming opponent. Sabalenka is the opponent against whom Badosa has played (seven) an꧑d lost (five) the most career matches against. 

Since the 2023 campaign, Sabalenka's lowest finish at each of the four grand slams came at the French Open last year when she was beaten by Mirra Andreeva in the quarter-finals, though she did miss Wimbledo꧃n in 2024 with a shoulder injury. 

But when asked about her recent succesℱs at Melbourne Park, Sabalenka revealed that her ability to control her emotions this time around has hel💝ped her performance. 

"I think I'm managing my emotions much beܫtter. Even if I get frustrated on the court, I'm able to bring myself back on court𓆉 and shift my focus to the right direction.

"I think that's bꦬeen the key in most of the matches."