Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff moved to within one round of a semi-final collision course at the Australian Open as the two highest-ranked players in the top half of the singles draw maintained their momentum on a warm day in Melbourne Park.

On Sunday, Sabalenka extended her dominant run in Melbourne by dismantling Mirra Andreeva 6-1, 6-2. Now three wins away from becoming the first woman in 26 years to win three Australian Open titles, Sabalenka has won her last 24 sets at the tournament, a streak dating back to her three set victory over Elena Rybakina in the 2023 final.

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Sabalenka has also established a remarkable level of consistency at the grand slam tournaments, reaching the quarter-finals of the last nine grand slams she has contested. The 26-year-old Belarusian will be attempting to reach her eighth semi-final during this run.

Gauff endured a considerably more challenging day on Rod Laver Arena as she recovered from a set down to defeat Belinda Bencic 5-7, 6-2, 6-1, ending the Swiss player’s brilliant run in her first grand slam tournament since giving birth to her daughter, Bella. Gauff has now won her first nine matches of the professional tennis season.

A round away from a rematch of last year’s semi-final, both players will next face experienced opponents who will not be overawed by the occasion.

Sabalenka will line up against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the 27th seed and 2021 French Open finalist. Gauff, meanwhile, faces a tough battle against the 11th seed Paula Badosa, a former No 2, who is enjoying a resurgent year after her career had been derailed by a chronic back injury.

A year ago, Bencic, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medalist, was pregnant and away from the tour during the Australian Open. She gave birth to her daughter, Bella, eight months ago last April and returned to competition in October on the lowly ITF circuit. Having built up her form, stamina and match fitness by playing against opponents ranked as low as No 656, Bencic has been in strong form in Melbourne and she opened up the tournament by upsetting Jelena Ostapenko, the 16th seed, in round one.

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On Sunday, Bencic again demonstrated her high level by pressuring Gauff from early on with her typically daring, early ball-striking as she narrowly took the opening set. Struggling to find her form, Gauff reacted well. She successfully forced herself inside the baseline and she also served well. Bencic, still getting used to the intensity of top level tennis again, understandably faded physically as Gauff marched through.

Across her first four rounds, Gauff has yet to produce the stratospheric level she demonstrated for much of the United Cup, particularly in her wins over Iga Swiatek and Karolina Muchova, but she has responded to all challenges assertively.

The past week has been a similar story for Sabalenka, who is yet to lose a set in the Australian Open this year. Her run, however, has been markedly different to her demolition of the field in 2024. After trailing 3-5 in the second set of her second round match against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, in round three Sabalenka was pushed hard by the talented young Dane Clara Tauson, a forceful ball-striker with a big serve and huge forehand. Tauson served for the first set and she reserved some of her best tennis for the final games of both sets.

In both matches, Sabalenka showed her ability to produce her best, most focused tennis under pressure. By navigating those tight moments with such confidence, she entered the court against Andreeva, her highest ranked opponent so far, relaxed and ready for the challenge ahead.

“When you struggle with your game and you had to overcome a lot of things in the match and you still win the match, it gives you so much confidence going into the next one,” said Sabalenka. “You know that no matter what is going to happen in the match, you’re going to be there, you’re going to be fighting. Like, your fighting spirit is there, you know? Definitely those matches gave me so much belief that no matter what I’m going to be there, I’m going to be fighting.”