Aryna Sabalenka has taken control on and off the court and has a first grand slam title in her sights at the Australian Open, writes Eleanor Crooks.

The 24-year-old has been tipped as a future major champion for the last five years but her matches were frequently emotional rollercoasters and her three previous grand slam semi-finals all ended in defeat.

There has been something different about Sabalenka at Melbourne Park this year, though, and she is yet to drop a set in 10 matches in 2023, culminating in a first slam semi-final success against Magda Linette.

The Belarusian, who could become the first singles player to win a slam title under a neutral flag, celebrated that milestone with an understated clench of the fist before revealing she has stopped working with a sports psychologist.

“I realised that nobody other than me will help,” she said. “In pre-season, I spoke to my psychologist, saying ‘Listen, I feel like I have to deal with that by myself, because every time hoping that someone will fix my problem, it’s not fixing my problem’.

“I just have to take this responsibility and I just have to deal with that. I’m my psychologist.”

Sabalenka previews Rybakina final: “To be honest, I think I’m not going to do something extra. Like, I think that’s okay to feel little bit nervous. It’s a big tournament, big final.

“If you’re going to start trying to do something about that, it’s going to become bigger, you know? I’ll just leave it like that. It’s okay to feel nervous.

“About the match, yeah, she’s playing great tennis, serving well. I just have to be there and have to, again, work for it and put her under pressure. Yeah, that’s it.”

Rybakina previews women’s final: “It’s going to be tough battle. I think as today maybe I will not have to serve that big, that fast, so it doesn’t really matter the speed. It’s important to have a good placement on the serve. In these conditions, to serve full, full power, it’s not easy.

“The ball is not really going. Yeah, the same on the baseline. Just to play more deeper and do the same thing, try to come forward, just to expect maybe longer rallies than usual.”

Having lost her three previous grand slam semi-finals, with those defeats being characterised by a loaded rack of unforced errors, Sabalenka faced Magda Linette on Thursday unburdened by the past. Despite losing an opening break to the unseeded Polish player, Sabalenka remained measured. “Probably before I would start screaming at everybody,” she said. “Feeling bad, starting to overhit balls. Today I was like, okay, that’s happened, that’s fine. I’ll just keep working, keep trying, and I think I will find my rhythm.”

It meant that even as Linette took Sabalenka to an opening tiebreak, she was able to produce controlled aggression from the baseline and a level of overwhelming hitting that Linette could not match.  She had gone from a sailor caught in a storm in her previous grand slam semi-finals, sheets flapping and ropes flailing in the wind as errors flew wildly from her racket, to a player whose power was being harnessed in impressive style. A game which previously verged on the self-destructive, and was yet compelling like a slow 10-car pile-up, has found efficiency.

Aryna Sabalenka said she stopped consulting a psychologist in pre-season and took the mental aspect of her game into her own hands, reaping immediate rewards with a title in Adelaide and a spot in the Australian Open final.

The Belarusian fifth seed had lost her three previous Grand Slam semi-finals but downed Poland’s Magda Linette 7-6(1) 6-2 at Melbourne Park on Thursday to set up an intriguing title clash with Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina.

The victory extended Sabalenka’s winning streak to 10 straight matches in 2023 without dropping a set, a run that followed a big decision before the start of the new season.

“To be honest I decided to stop working with a psychologist. I realised that nobody (other) than me will help me,” Sabalenka told reporters.

“In pre-season, I spoke to my psychologist saying ‘Listen, I feel I have to deal with that by myself,’ because every time I’m hoping that someone will fix my problem, it’s not fixing it.

“I just have to take this responsibility and I just have to deal with that. Yeah... I’m my (own) psychologist.”

Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka will do battle in a big-hitting Australian Open women’s final.

In two similar semi-finals, Wimbledon champion Rybakina saw off Victoria Azarenka 7-6 (4) 6-3 before Sabalenka reached her first grand slam singles final with a 7-6 (1) 6-2 victory over unseeded Pole Magda Linette.

The results mean a new women’s champion will be crowned at Melbourne Park, and both players were keen to stress that the job is not yet done.

“I’m happy, at the same time tired,” said Rybakina. “But I think it was a really good match. Different conditions today compared to other matches I played. I’m super happy to be in the final and ready to give everything I have left in one day.”

Sabalenka had fallen three times in grand slam semi-finals over the last two seasons but gave only a brief clenched fist after finally making it over the hurdle.

“There is still one more match to go,” said the Belarusian, who is yet to drop a set in 10 matches in 2023. “It’s good that I kind of break through in the semi-finals, but there is one more match to go. I just want to stay focused.”

Elena Rybakina says she will be less nervous in the Australian Open final after the experience of her Wimbledon win.

“I think because I knew what to expect. Everything was new at Wimbledon,” she said.

“Now I’m more or less understand what to expect. It’s nervous no matter what because it’s a final. Also semis, you always nervous before the match.

“But this time I think I was focusing more on the match, what I have to do, and maybe not to think what’s going to come or what’s going to happen around and so on.”

Rybakina’s run to the final:

1st round: 7-5 6-2 vs Cocciaretto

2nd round: 6-2 6-1 vs Juvan

3rd round: 6-2 5-7 6-2 vs Collins (13)

4th round: 6-4 6-4 vs Swiatek (1)

Quarters: 6-2 6-4 vs Ostapenko (17)

Semis: 7-6 6-3 vs Azarenka (23)

Final: vs Sabalenka (5)

Elena Rybakina defeated grand slam champions Iga Swiatek, Jelena Ostapenko and Victoria Azarenka to reach the Australian Open final for the first time.

“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,” she said.

“For me this time I would say it was a bit easier also compared to Wimbledon when I was playing for the first time quarters, semis, final.

“For sure they’re very experienced players. I knew that I have to focus on every point. I think in the end I did real well.”

In the clash of two big-hitting players, Sabalenka showed cleaner form and confidence from the baseline in the semi-finals. Rybakina has the edge in grand slam final experience and the huge weapon of her first will split the first two sets, but Sabalenka’s powerful game will be key in the decider.

What are the odds?

Rybakina: 6/5

Sabalenka: 8/11