Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka sets up semi-final against Coco Gauff

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka set up a tantalising Australian Open semi-final against American teenager Coco Gauff after overpowering Barbora Krejcikova in a straight-set victory.

Sabalenka’s 6-2 6-3 win confirmed a repeat of September’s thrilling US Open final, in which Gauff came back from a set down to win a first major title.

Gauff, 19, scraped past Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk in three sets in Melbourne.

The American made 51 unforced errors but won 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (4-7) 6-2.

Belarusian Sabalenka, who claimed her maiden Slam triumph on Rod Laver Arena 12 months ago, hit 20 winners and broke Czech 2021 French Open champion Krejcikova’s serve six times in a devastating quarter-final display.

That was in sharp contrast to last-four opponent Gauff’s victory, with the fourth seed saying she hopes to have “got the bad match out of the way” as she aims to become the first women’s player since Naomi Osaka three years ago to win back-to-back majors.

The other two quarter-finals in a women’s singles draw blown open by a string of high-profile early exits take place on Wednesday.

One of China’s Zheng Qinwen, Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya, Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska and Czech Republic’s Linda Noskova – none of who have ever played in a Grand Slam semi-final – will meet Gauff or Sabalenka in Saturday’s showpiece.

(BBC)