Aryna Sabalenka Escapes Teen Scare to Reach Australian Open Semifinals: “Don’t Look at the Score”

Top seed Aryna Sabalenka powered past 18-year-old American Iva Jovic 6-3, 6-0 on Tuesday to reach the Australian Open semifinals amid punishing Melbourne heat. With the Rod Laver Arena roof initially open and temperatures soaring past 104°F, the Belarusian dominated the scoreboard, yet revealed the match truly tested her limits.

Speaking after the match, Aryna Sabalenka reflected on how demanding the contest was despite the scoreline. Asked about facing the teenage American for one hour and 29 minutes, the top seed was candid. “These teenagers testing me in the last couple of rounds,” she said.

She then added, “Incredible player. It was a tough match. Don’t look at the score. It wasn’t easy at all. She played incredible tennis, pushed me to one step better level, and I’m super happy with the win. It was a tough battle.”

Although the match against Iva Jovic looked one-sided on paper, Sabalenka made it clear it was anything but simple. The teenager challenged her with fearless hitting. The rallies were intense. The heat made every point heavier. Sabalenka had to stay sharp from start to finish.

Speaking of teenagers, Sabalenka’s fourth-round clash told a similar story. Her match against rising star Victoria Mboko was far from straightforward. Sabalenka won the opening set comfortably. But the Canadian soon raised her level and asked tougher questions.

Mboko, the Canadian Open champion, refused to fade. She began returning with more depth. She attacked Sabalenka’s serve. The momentum slowly shifted as the match wore on.

Sabalenka remained composed but felt the pressure. The second set went to a tie-break. At one stage, Sabalenka was cruising with a 6-1, 4-1 lead. Mboko then mounted an impressive comeback and dragged the set into a tense finish.

When asked what caused the shift, Sabalenka was honest. She explained that serving from one end was difficult. The sun was directly in her eyes. She also credited Mboko’s aggression and timing.

“Yeah, she’s incredible, that’s for sure,” Sabalenka said in her post-match press conference. She praised the teenager’s courage and shot-making. She acknowledged how hard it was to maintain control.

Against Jovic, Sabalenka again imposed herself early. She raced to a 3-0 lead in the first set. Still, Jovic refused to go away. She earned three break points in a 10-minute ninth game and stayed competitive.

The second set was more decisive. Sabalenka surged to a 5-0 lead with two breaks. Jovic struggled late. A costly double fault on break point handed Sabalenka further control.

In the final game, Sabalenka sealed the win in style. She fired an ace on a break point. Another ace followed on match point. She saved all five break points, struck seven aces, and booked a fourth straight AO semifinal as she eyes history and a possible showdown alongside Novak Djokovic.

Aryna Sabalenka makes public plea to play alongside Novak Djokovic

Aryna Sabalenka was set to play in the revamped US Open mixed doubles event last year. She was announced as a partner of Grigor Dimitrov during the summer. The plan looked exciting for fans. But it never happened.

Dimitrov suffered a shoulder injury at Wimbledon. He missed the entire North American hard-court swing. That ended their US Open mixed doubles plans before they began.

Now, with her Australian Open campaign still alive, Sabalenka has shared a new wish. She wants to play mixed doubles with Novak Djokovic. She hopes it could happen at the US Open this year.

“Maybe at the US Open this year. I mean, I’m still waiting. I’m still waiting for that long message from him, how he would like to play with me, that I’m his dream partner. So I’m still waiting for the message. Never got it. I don’t know. Maybe we’re not playing,” the world No.1 said.

Sabalenka has already played with Djokovic once before. The pair teamed up at an AO charity event before the 2024 tournament. She enjoyed the experience and now wants to share the court with him again in a real competition.

Djokovic, however, has rarely played mixed doubles in his career. Most of his appearances came at the Olympics or team events like the Hopman Cup and the United Cup. Mixed doubles has never been a major focus for him.

Last year, Djokovic agreed to play mixed doubles at the US Open. He partnered with fellow Serbian Olga Danilovic in the two-day event. They lost in the first round. It was his first Grand Slam mixed doubles match since the 2006 Australian Open.

Now, it depends on whether Djokovic agrees again.

Now, Sabalenka’s focus, though, remains on Melbourne. She is preparing to face either Coco Gauff or Elina Svitolina. A thrilling AO semifinal awaits on the horizon.

The post Aryna Sabalenka Escapes Teen Scare to Reach Australian Open Semifinals: “Don’t Look at the Score” appeared first on EssentiallySports.