Aryna Sabalenka defeats Linette to reach first major final: Stats
Fifth seed Aryna Sabalenka reached her first Grand Slam final after defeating Magda Linette at the 2023 Australian Open. Sabalenka claimed a 7-6(1), 6-2 win after an hour and 33 minutes. The 24-year-old has extended her winning streak to 10. Sabalenka has now won a career-best 20 consecutive sets. She will face Elena Rybakina in the summit clash. Here are the key stats.
A look at the stats
Sabalenka doled out as many as six aces versus Linette as the latter managed just one. The former committed two double faults compared to her opponent's one. Sabalenka clocked 70% and 64% wins on the first and second serve respectively. She converted 3/7 break points. She won a total of 71 points and 33 winners in the match.
A winning streak of 10 matches
Sabalenka has had a dominating start to the season. The world number five is 10-0 in 2023 so far. She won the Adelaide International 1 title, beating Linda Noskova in the final summit clash of the WTA 500 event. Sabalenka had reached the Australian Open semis for the first time. The 24-year-old had reached her fourth career Grand Slam semi-final.
A career-best 20 consecutive sets
Sabalenka is yet to lose a set in 2023, having won a career-best 20 consecutive sets on the WTA tour. She has won each of her 10 matches so far in straight sets. As per Opta, Sabalenka is the third woman in this Century to win her first 10 matches without dropping a set after Anna Smashnova in 2002 and Agnieszka Radwanska in 2013.
Sabalenka enters an elite list
As per Opta, eight of the last 10 women to win the first 10 matches of a season have been the world number one at least once (Ashleigh Barty, Naomi Osaka, Karolina Pliskova, Angelique Kerber, Simona Halep, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, and Victoria Azarenka).
Sabalenka attains these feats
Sabalenka has reached her 20th career WTA final and the first at a Grand Slam. As per Opta, she has won nine of her last 10 tie-breaks. Her only defeat came in the final at the WTA Finals 2022 against Caroline Garcia.
Sabalenka to face Elena Rybakina in final
Sabalenka will take on Elena Rybakina in the 2023 Australian Open final. The 2022 Wimbledon champion reached her second Grand Slam final after beating Victoria Azarenka in the Australian Open semi-finals. Rybakina claimed a 7-6(4), 6-3 win after an hour and 41 minutes. Rybakina, who featured in her first Australian Open semi-final, took on a major champion for the third successive match.
