Sabalenka beats Gauff, Zheng ousts Yastremska in Australian Open semis

Jan. 25 (UPI) -- Aryna Sabalenka avenged her U.S. Open loss to Coco Gauff by ousting the American in straight sets, while Zheng Qinwen edged Dayana Yastremska to reach the 2024 Australian Open women's singles final Thursday in Melbourne.

Sabalenka, the No. 2 seed, totaled four aces, 33 winners and converted 4 of 10 break point chances in the 7-6(2), 6-4 victory.

The Belarusian won 70% of points from her first serve and 50% from her second. Gauff, the No. 4 seed, was 65% on her first serve and 39% on her second.

"I was just ready for anything tonight and I think that was the key," Sabalenka, the defending champion, said on the ESPN broadcast.

Gauff, who started the year with a 10-0 record, logged five aces, 22 winners and converted 3 of 4 break point opportunities. The American, who beat Sabalenka in September in the 2023 U.S. Open final, will move up to No. 3 in the WTA rankings on Monday, matching her career high.

"I had chances in both sets, but she played better tonight," Gauff told reporters. "I felt like I did my best with the game plan that I had. It just came down to a couple points. That's tennis."

Sabalenka will meet Zheng in the women's singles final Saturday in Melbourne.

Zheng, the No. 12 seed, and Sabalenka both needed 102 minutes to dispatch of their semifinal foes. Zheng totaled four aces, 15 winners and converted 4 of 11 break points in her 6-4, 6-4 win. The Chinese tennis star logged 19 unforced errors, compared to 24 for her Ukrainian foe.

"It feels unbelievable," Zheng said on the ESPN broadcast. "I'm super excited to have such a great performance and go to the final."

Sabalenka is the first women's player since Serena Williams to reach consecutive finals at the Australian Open. Williams accomplished the feat in 2016 and 2017. She lost in 2016 and won in 2017.

Williams accomplished the feat several more times at other majors, including her three-consecutive U.S. Open titles from 2012 through 2014.

Zheng will appear in her first Grand Slam final.

No players were in action in the men's singles draw on Day 12 of the Australian Open. No. 1 Novak Djokovic of Serbia will battle No. 4 Jannik Sinner of Italy on Friday at Melbourne Park. That match will air at 10:30 p.m. EST Thursday on ESPN in the United States, because of a 16-hour time difference.

The winner will meet No. 3 Daniil Medvedev of Russia or No. 6 Alexander Zverev of Germany in the men's singles final Sunday at Rod Laver Arena. Medvedev and Zverev will face off in the second men's semifinal at 3:30 a.m. Friday on ESPN.

Zheng will face Sabalenka in the women's final at 3:30 a.m. Saturday on ESPN. The men's final will air at the same time Sunday on ESPN.