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Aryna Sabalenka says her mindset remains firmly focused on winning the title as she continued her bid for a third Australian Open crown in four years with a commanding quarter-final victory over teenager Iva Jovic.
The world number one was in complete control as she defeated the rising American 6-3 6-0, extending her impressive run in Melbourne. Sabalenka will now face either third seed Coco Gauff or Ukraine's Elina Svitolina in the semi-finals as she edges closer to another Grand Slam final.
At 27, the Belarusian has already established herself as one of the dominant players of her era. The four-time major singles champion has now reached the semi-final stage at 14 of the last 17 Grand Slam tournaments she has played. She is also only the third woman in the past 38 years to reach eight consecutive singles semi-finals at majors, joining Lindsay Davenport and Martina Hingis.
Reflecting on her consistency, Sabalenka said she was proud of what she has achieved and credited her focus for keeping her at the top level. She explained that concentrating on the right details has been crucial in maintaining her form and delivering strong performances match after match.
Sabalenka has yet to drop a set at this year's Australian Open and has opened the 2026 season with 10 straight victories, winning 20 consecutive sets. After losing two Grand Slam finals last year in Melbourne and at the French Open, she responded by successfully defending her US Open title in September. That resilience has made her the clear favourite to reclaim the Australian Open trophy.
Known for her dominance on hard courts, where she has won 19 of her 22 career titles, Sabalenka said the desire to lift the trophy is universal among players. She explained
that while winning is always the ultimate goal, her personal approach is to stay present and focus on each point, game, and set rather than thinking too far ahead.
Her latest win followed another match against a teenage opponent, having also faced 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko in the previous round. Sabalenka acknowledged that the young players had pushed her hard despite the lopsided scorelines, insisting the matches were more demanding than they appeared.
The quarter-final against 18-year-old Jovic was played in extreme heat, with temperatures surpassing 40C. The Australian Open heat stress scale reached its cut-off shortly after the match ended. The roof at Rod Laver Arena was closed as Sabalenka completed her post-match interview and remained shut for the rest of the day's play.
Despite the defeat, Jovic praised Sabalenka as an inspiration, highlighting her ability to turn setbacks into motivation and continue improving at the highest level of the sport.
