SwedenLivingWorld world_2_fill WorldBusiness BusinessSports sports-soccer SportsEntertainmentEntertain

Sabalenka beat her best friend – faces Keys in the final

Martina Hingis is the last to win the women's Australian Open three years in a row. A feat that is on track to be repeated – if Aryna Sabalenka lives up to her position as world number one this weekend. It would mean a lot to me. To get her name written in history, she says.

» Published: 23 January 2025

Sabalenka beat her best friend – faces Keys in the final
Photo: Ng Han Guan/AP/TT

The Belarusian is clear for her third straight final in Melbourne and can take her third straight title in the year's first Grand Slam tournament.

In Saturday's final, Madison Keys awaits.

The American, ranked number 14, beat the world's number two, Pole Iga Swiatek with 5–7, 6–1, 7–6 (10–8) in a tough, swinging, and dramatic three-setter.

The players broke each other in the end of the third set and the 2 hours and 37 minutes long match went to a deciding tiebreak where Keys was the strongest and reached her first final in Melbourne.

In the end, we both struggled with our nerves and it was about who could be the slightly better of us, and luckily it was me, says Keys in the post-match interview.

Sabalenka, 26, made short work of Spaniard Paula Badosa in the semifinal, winning in two straight sets – 6–4, 6–2 – and celebrated her 20th straight win on the site where she and her tennis seem to thrive the most.

Beat her best friend

It was super tough against a good friend and I'm super happy that I went through, says Sabalenka.

Badosa, who in her quarterfinal beat American Coco Gauff, is the Belarusian's best friend on the tour.

Sabalenka has described Badosa as her soulmate.

But all that was set aside on the Rod Laver arena when Sabalenka drummed on under the closed roof. Badosa couldn't resist but can look back on a highly successful comeback.

Large parts of 2023 had to be devoted to rehabilitation after a back injury and last year she had thoughts of quitting.

Now she's back in the top ten of women's tennis.

Hugged each other

Sabalenka and Badosa united in a long hug directly after the match.

I hope she's still my friend. I'm sure she'll hate me for the next few hours, a day or two, but I'm okay with that, I can handle it.

After that, I think we're friends again and can go out together and shop, says Sabalenka at the press conference.

Besides Hingis (1997-1999), Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Evonne Goolagong, and Margaret Court have won the Australian Open three years in a row.

Tags

TTT
By TTThis article has been altered and translated by Sweden Herald

More news

City close to fiasco – against third-division team
1 MIN READ

City close to fiasco – against third-division team

Årsjö Superior – Took World Championship Gold in Giant Slalom
2 MIN READ

Årsjö Superior – Took World Championship Gold in Giant Slalom

After the World Championship gold - no new medal for Rosenberg
1 MIN READ

After the World Championship gold - no new medal for Rosenberg

After Doping Offense - Took Sensational World Championship Gold
1 MIN READ

After Doping Offense - Took Sensational World Championship Gold

World Championship team ready - "Prepared for enormous pressure"
3 MIN READ

World Championship team ready - "Prepared for enormous pressure"

Felix Monsén the fastest of all in World Championship training
1 MIN READ

Felix Monsén the fastest of all in World Championship training

Overwhelming National Championship Gold for Poromaa and Andersson
2 MIN READ

Overwhelming National Championship Gold for Poromaa and Andersson

Ingrid Lindblad missed the cut in her LPGA debut
1 MIN READ

Ingrid Lindblad missed the cut in her LPGA debut

"He may be a bit too honest sometimes"
3 MIN READ

"He may be a bit too honest sometimes"

Canada's Sydney Crosby injured ahead of Four Nations
1 MIN READ

Canada's Sydney Crosby injured ahead of Four Nations

New top time by Pihlström – close to Swedish record
1 MIN READ

New top time by Pihlström – close to Swedish record

Hammarby to the Quarterfinals – After Drama
2 MIN READ

Hammarby to the Quarterfinals – After Drama

Swedish crush – can secure Olympic spot this weekend
2 MIN READ

Swedish crush – can secure Olympic spot this weekend

Grease lamp posts to avoid fatalities
2 MIN READ

Grease lamp posts to avoid fatalities

City Star Opted Out of Match After Harassment
1 MIN READ

City Star Opted Out of Match After Harassment

The Record: Player Switched Clubs for 26 Billion
1 MIN READ

The Record: Player Switched Clubs for 26 Billion

Three Crowns' Dream Months: "Mission to Deliver"
3 MIN READ

Three Crowns' Dream Months: "Mission to Deliver"

City's Joyful News: Rodri Registered for CL
1 MIN READ

City's Joyful News: Rodri Registered for CL

Öberg: "Sicker than I usually am"
3 MIN READ

Öberg: "Sicker than I usually am"

Double Swedish meetings in the Champions League
1 MIN READ

Double Swedish meetings in the Champions League