Rybakina meets Sabalenka in Australian Open women's final

MELBOURNE: Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina began her Australian Open campaign on the outer courts at Melbourne Park but the 22nd seed is now just one step away from winning her second major, with only fellow big-hitter Aryna Sabalenka standing in her way. Playing flawless tennis and showing little emotion, the 23-year-old dismissed last year's runner-up Danielle Collins before eliminating title favourite Iga Swiatek, former Roland Garros winner Jelena Ostapenko and two-times Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka.

"I think it was a great challenge for me because for sure, they have experience of winning Grand Slams, so it was nothing new for them," Rybakina, who beat Azarenka 7-6(4), 6-3 in the semifinals, said.

Belarusian Sabalenka finally looks to be delivering on years of promise and will be making her first appearance in a Grand Slam final after falling at the semi-final stage three times.

The powerful fifth seed defeated unheralded Pole Magda Linette 7-6(1) 6-2 to reach Saturday's title match.

Sabalenka, who has notched up 10 successive straight-sets victories this year, including a run to the Adelaide title, was unable to compete at Wimbledon due to the ban and said she only watched some of it on TV.

"I was feeling really bad about that (ban) and didn't watch Wimbledon at all," the 24-year-old said.

"I mean, little bit the final because I was working out in the gym. I saw a bit. It was great tennis."

With Russian and Belarusian players only allowed to compete as individual athletes without national affiliation at Melbourne Park, Sabalenka could become the first neutral athlete to win a Grand Slam.

"Let's talk about that if I win it," she said. "I don't like to speak about 'if'. I just want to work for it, do my best. If I win, you can ask that question and I will answer."

Both Rybakina and Sabalenka are among the most powerful players on tour, using big serves and groundstrokes to overwhelm opponents. It's a style that evokes the way the Williams sisters went about winning when they began to transform the sport — and rather different from the way the current No. 1, Iga Swiatek, and her predecessor, the retired Ash Barty, went about things.

Sabalenka has managed to keep the ledger tilted quite a bit in her favor, accumulating 196 winners (32.7 per match) and 136 unforced errors (22.7 per match). Rybakina's numbers are more even, averaging 26.3 winners and 24.8 unforced errors.

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