Yastremska v Zheng, Sabalenka beats Gauff: Australian Open semi-finals – live

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Yastremska 3-3 Zheng* Zheng twice goes long, and playing like this, neither of these has a chance against Sabalenka. But as we know, sport isn’t like that because people aren’t like that, and Zheng takes hold of this game, turning up the forehand aggression to turn 0-30 into 40-30, and a netted return secures the hold.

*Yastremska 3-2 Zheng Yastremska will be feeling it, having sent down four doubles in the last game – an entire game of doubles – but she quickly makes 30-0, Zheng missing narrowly when given a second serve to attack. The next rally is the longest of the match so far, Yastremska’s power decisive with Zheng unable to force her wide enough, and a return larruped long nudges the qualifier back in front. Both players are still searching for consistency.

Yastremska 2-2 Zheng* More like it from Zheng, whose serve is working now – or at least works in this game – and she holds to love.

*Yastremska 2-1 Zheng Yastremska opens the game with a double, then a nice, deep return persuades her to err on the forehand. Another double follows, Gauff-style, and at 0-40 is all that work set to be wasted? Well, Zheng goes long on the return, can get nowhere near an ace down the T, and though she does get racket to another serve into the same area, it’s only the frame so we’re at deuce. A long return then hands over advantage – surely Zheng should just’ve got that ball into court – but Yastremska cant close out, disbursing a third double of the game before netting; here comes a fourth break point. And this time, there’s no first serve to help save it, instead a fourth double putting as back on serve. Both players are dead nervous, neither yet settled.

Yastremska 2-0 Zheng* Apparently stranded at the net having assaulted a second serve, Yastremska helps an overhead over the net for 0-15; that forehand we talked about soon makes 15-all. But Zheng’s second delivery might be a problem – another one sits up, and is duly punished back past her, cross-court. Another then allows Yastremska to seize control of the next point, two further backhands raising two break points, but Zheng makes deuce … only to net a backhand and cede another. Again, she saves it, but double means she faces a fourth, and the nerves’ll be a-jangling … but Yastremska lands a great return, plays another goodun, comes in … and from mid-court, nets a backhand with loads of space to hit. She doesn’t linger on the disappointment, though, an inside-out backhand winner too good – she’s not waiting to be asked here, attacking whenever possible – and another backhand, on to the baseline, gives her the immediate break. Yastremska is clearly the better and more confident player – for now.

*Yastremska 1-0 Zheng Yastremska begins with a service winner, and a poor return followed by a netted backhand give her 40-0. But a much better hit, a forehand that lands near the line, announces Zheng’s presence in the match, then another from out wide and suddenly there’s a bit of pressure. Or not! An ace out wide, and Yastremska has her hold.

Dayana Yastremska opens with a service hold. Photograph: Eloisa Lopez/Reuters

Updated at 06.01 EST

And play, Yastremska to serve.

Here come our players!

I’ve not a clue what’s going to happen in this second match, but I’ve a sneaky feeling for Yastremska, who I think has a little more variety to her game than Zheng and probably feels under less pressure. Zheng, though, has been serving nicely, and if her forehand is working, she’ll be hard to beat.

Coming up next: Dayana Yastremska (Q) v Qinwen Zheng (12)

I guess it’s my unfortunate duty, at this point, to note that, earlier in the competition Sablenka was asked about the Tour Finals moving to Saudi, saying this about playing in Saudi:

It was an amazing experience. I expected something different. They treated us really well. It was really amazing atmosphere on the stadium. People really like sports there. They really like tennis. The atmosphere was incredible. The level of hospitality was definitely way, way, way better than it was in Cancun. Yeah, I’m happy to go there.”

Sabalenka says she’s been focusing on herself, and new Gauff would make her play lots of extra balls. She thanks the crowd who, having previously not supported her, now do. She really enjoys playing Gauff as win or lose, the matches are great – cut to a morose her warming down on the bike – as it’s always a challenge.

Jelena Dokic, performing the interview, then namechecks Billy-Jean and Evonne Goolagong Cawley on the 50th anniversary of her win here; Sabalenka says it’s a privilege to play in front of them, then signs a towel to be auctioned for a domestic violence charity and offers another one; she’s thanked for her kindness and compassion.

Gauff departs and will be disappointed having been a way off her best. But she’ll also know she was well-beaten by a batter player, and will need to think again before they meet next. I’m absolutely certain she will, though, and this has the makings of a very serious rivalry.

Aryna Sabalenka (2) beats Coco Gauff (4) 7-6(2) 6-4

Gauff (2)6-7 4-5 Sabalenka* Gauff has a look at second serve, but can only loop a return that begs to be assaulted at the net, and Sablenka doesn’t disappoint. Again, though, she misses her first delivery and chokes through the second, checking her swing for a dribbled double into the net … only to retaliate with an ace! That’s great stuff, but then having sent Gauff out wide, she needlessly overhits her putaway … but a netted return raises match point! Sabalenka goes for the big T serve … nets … but a mahoosive backhand gives her control of the rally … but then dispatched to the forehand corner, Gauff devastates a winner down the line to the backhand for deuce. No matter, an ace raises a second match point, and this time a serve out wide is too good, the riposte tudding into the root of the net, and the champ is into her second straight AO final, this time without losing a set. She looks absolutely magnificent – not all the time, but for enough time – and I fear for whoever has the misfortune of meeting her next.

The players embrace at the net as Sabalenka progresses to the final on Saturday. Photograph: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Updated at 05.36 EST

*Gauff (2)6-7 4-5 Sabalenka Gauff slaps a backhand wide for 15-all, faults, and you fear for her here … all the more so when she pushes another second serve into the middle of the box; it sits up, and Sabalenka spanks a dismissive backhand winner. And, er gulp: again, she’s to rely on her second serve … and this time she goes for it, murdering an ace down the T for 3o-all! Her next delivery is a goodun, forcing Sabalenka to chase out wide … whereupon she uncorks a sizzling forehand return cross-court for a gargantuan winner and break point. Gauff saves it with a winner of her own, but an error hands over advantage, and is the match here? A serve into the net means trouble, Sabalenka’s return goes deep, and though it’s not a winner, the pressure tells, Gauff flaying a backhand long and wide. That’s been in the post all set, and Sabalenka will shortly serve for the match; can she hold it down? Can Gauff turn her back into old her?

Gauff (2)6-7 4-4 Sabalenka* Sabalenka’s had chances this set but played poorly on break point, and suddenly a netted backhand means she’s down 0-30. A fantastic second serve out wide follows, though she hesitates before her clean-up and flicks the top of the net; she’s feeling it out there. But that forehand is a helluva weapon, switching momentum in the next rally, before finishing it with a yell; 30-all. Further immense hitting, though, finishes the game in short order, and Sabalenka remains the better, more confident player – though we, and they, know how quickly that can change.

*Gauff (2)6-7 4-3 Sabalenka Gauff goes long and will be feeling it, because she knows any slip-up takes her close to the end. And Sabalenka knows it too, following a Gauff error for 0-15 by wasting another meek second serve via booming backhand; Gauff quickly makes 30-all. But then, caught by a ball which lands close to the baseline forcing her to crouch to reply – not for the first time, and that must be tiring – she nets and is break-point down. A rushed backhand, though, hands her deuce, an ace down the T makes advantage, and this time Sabalenka doesn’t have her way with a second serve, Gauff doing superbly to hold on for 4-3. She’s showing plenty of moxie here, but can she find just a little more magic?

Coco Gauff is holding on in the second set. Photograph: Julian Finney/Getty Images

Updated at 05.23 EST

Gauff (2)6-7 3-3 Sabalenka* Both players are holding nicely now, Sabalenka making 30-0 with backand and service winners … but at some point, the nerves will again kick in. Not now, though, Sabalenka responding to a Gauff winner with a point of frankly despicable power for 40-15, and a return loops long, we’re back level in set two.

*Gauff (2)6-7 3-2 Sabalenka So far, it’s been Sabalenka as the protagonist, the majority of points decided by what she does. Gauff, though, might just be building confidence, an ace giving her 40-0, and she even closes out with a second-serve point, a netted return sealing the deal. But does she have a tactic to up the pressure when receiving?

Gauff (2)6-7 2-2 Sabalenka* However solid she becomes, Sabalenka and her opponents will always suspect that a collapse is possible, but she’s looking solid out there now – though she stands on her strings to loosen them in between points. She plays another decent game, holding to love, and even finishes it with a stretch-volley; she’ll be feeling good about that.

Aryna Sabalenka reaches down low for a volley winner at the net. Photograph: William West/AFP/Getty Images

Updated at 05.09 EST

*Gauff (2)6-7 2-1 Sabalenka Gauff could really use a comfy hold, ideally with some first serves landed, and that’s what she gets – as much because Sabalenka misses than because she hits, but in the circumstances, she’ll take it.

Gauff (2)6-7 1-1 Sabalenka* Sabalenka will be massively relieved to have won that first set, given she led 5-2, and will know that old her loses the breaker 7-2. She’s looking seriously confident now, holding to love, as Coach Calv reminds me of his earlier message which began “Will come down to how well Gauff’s forehand holds up and how well she serves”; ‘First sentence. They’re not holding up well,” he adds.

*Gauff (2)6-7 1-0 Sabalenka Losing that set will sting Gauff, but she knows she can play better and that she’s beaten Sabalenka from a set down before. I’m not, though, certain she’s got her tactics down – she can’t just rely on her opponent missing, because every shit she plays to keep a rally going is a chance for Sabalenka to finish it – and if she can’t improve on serve, she’s in big trouble. And she’s struggling with it in the first game of set two, tentative with her delivery and missing with a lob for 30-all, then netting as another brutal groundstroke knocks her off her feet. But again, having done everything but win the rally, Sabalenka nets a volley, her hands hard and body-shape all wrong, burning a break point to raise deuce. But this time it’s Gauff marooned at the net, and a poor volley – surprising from so accomplished a doubles player – means she’s again facing break point. This feels like a big moment in the match and Gauff rises to it, thundering down an ace – that’ll make her feel better … but when a fault follows, you sadly know what’s coming next, and she duly completes the double which brings us back to deuce. But oh man, up advantage, yet another double, Gauff’s eighth of the match so far, means another deuce … but look how beautifully she plays it, getting down low to caress a sensational volley up and over the net, escaping with another poor serve when Sabalenka nets a backhand down the line. That’s a crucial hold, and can she now put pressure on her opponent’s serve?

Aryna Sabalenka takes the first set against Coco Gauff 7-6(2)

Excellent from Sabalenka, who’s survived her dip and is hitting more intelligently again, not going for everything all the time; further shrieking forehands raise five set points. And though Gauff saves the first, a superhuman serve out wide is too good, and Sabalenka, who played the better tennis in the set, wins it in quite some style. She was just a little more patient in the breaker, and that made her power too much for Gauff because when correctly deployed it’s too much for anyone.

Sabalenka takes the opening set 7-6. Photograph: Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP/Getty Images

Updated at 04.50 EST

Gauff 6-6 Sabalenka (1-5) Sabalenka takes an immediate mini-break thanks to a weapons-grade backhand and is soon up 4-0 with a second. But a big forehand from Gauff takes back one … only for a miserable second serve to be pasted back across her with maximum prejudice. This is nearly over.

*Gauff 6-6 Sabalenka If Gauff closes out here, Sabalenka will be in big trouble, given their respective demeanours, and very quickly it’s 30-0, Gauff skidding in to show how it’s done at the net. But a return on to the line stays low, Gauff misreading the bounce, and then, caught in mid-court, she nets tamely; both players are struggling with the pressure and if anyone can read an opponent doubting themselves it’s Sabalenka, who immediately ups the power, mashing a return which sets up a break-back point. And a succession of big forehands incite Gauff to go long, her third forehand error of the game; we’ve got ourselves a breaker!

Updated at 04.39 EST

Gauff 6-5 Sabalenka* Sabalenka keeps thrashing away, making 15-0, but two leaping thrashes from Gauff level the game; she’s fantastic athlete as well as a fantastic player, and we’re soon at 30-all. More colossal points upcoming; can Sabalenka, who so far has lost the biggest ones, hold it down? She cannot, making 40-30 before getting her feet all wrong to send a backhand long. “She’s just wild is Sabalenka,” says Coach Calv. “There’s no control at all. Or variation.” And shonuff, a fine point makes her advantage, then a swipe falls long; she’s not being as patient as earlier in the set, forcing things as they get realer, and when Gauff sends her wide and deep, her forehand riposte on the run has too much on it. Break point Gauff … and HAVE A LOOK! Sabalenka rockets a forehand to the corner, comes in to finish the rally with the whole court at which to aim, and for some reason unloads the suitcase, choosing to hit at Gauff’s side when she could blow the ball over the net to the other, and it’d be a winner. But she wallops wide, and Gauff will now serve for the set!

After serving for the set, Aryna Sabalenka is now on the back foot. Photograph: Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty Images

Updated at 04.38 EST

*Gauff 5-5 Sabalenka Gauff will be relieved to still be in this set. On the one hand, she’ll know Sabalenka has been the better player, but on the other will also know that without the doubles, she might be in front. She’ll also be confident in her ability to play the biggest points better – Sabalenka got tight at the end of the last game – but as soon as the pressure is slightly reduced, she finds a winner for 0-15. She misses with her next go, though, then at 30-15 another double, Gauff’s sixth – and her second delivery is a proper dribbler – mean this next point is crucial. And when the American goes long, just, she’s set point down; will her serve hold up? Yes it will, a boomer landing to force the netted return. On advantage, though, a weak second serve allows Sabalenka to make a cuppa and light a smoke before punishing a winner down and on to the line. This is turning into an epic, the champ in charge of the next rally only to come in and stick another volley into the net; a missed drop from Gauff then returns us to deuce, and this is exactly like camping: intense. But down advantage, Sabalenka swipes long, and that’s parity restored. I’ve not a clue what’s going to happen next.

Gauff 4-5 Sabalenka* Another Sabalenka net cord brings both players to the net, Gauff doing a brilliant job of reading her opponent’s intentions – not for the first time – to make 0-15. But she then nets, a typical serve out wide and clean-up backhand follow – off the back foot to a quality return! – but then, having opened the space to crunch a backhand down the line, Sabalenka goes long and we’re at 30-all. These next points are so crucial … and Sabalenka goes for it on second serve, missing the outside line of the box! A further fault follows, a decent enough return prompts a netted forehand, and for the second time, Gauff breaks back!

That’s two breaks apiece for the players in a pulsating opening set. Photograph: William West/AFP/Getty Images

Updated at 04.25 EST

*Gauff 3-5 Sabalenka John, our pictures man, is right behind Gauff’s trainers sneakers, and I’n inclined to agree. They fire her to 30-0, then a devastating forehand cross leaves her standing and she misses her first serve; P-R-E-S-S-U-R-E. So the last thing she needs next is a net cord, though in fairness, Sabalenka’s backhand might’ve been a winner anyway. It matters not, though, because form 30-all Gauff quickly closes out, forcing Sabalenka to serve for the set.

Gauff 2-5 Sabalenka* But Gauff makes 0-15 with a terrific backhand cross – she can be so devastating off that wing – but at the moment, the consistency isn’t there, perhaps because of the pressure that Sabalenka brings, spooking opponents in to trying to finish rallies before she does. She consolidates easily, an ace to finish the exclamation point, and she’s the more patient, consistent player at the moment/

*Gauff 2-4 Sabalenka Sabalenka makes 0-15 when Gauff misses a forehand – to her consternation – but a long backhand followed by a long forehand makes 30-15. A fourth double, though, gives Sabalenka a sniff, so down comes a colossal serve out wide … then another double, and that’s deuce. So here comes Sabalenka, who knows that a two-double game must not go unpunished and that her opponent is likely to lower the pace on first serve to make sure she gets it on. And shonuff, two big forehands power her through deuce for her break back – not her break-back – and that, I think is the difference: Sabalenka’s power on serve and return are bigger and more reliable.

Aryna Sabalenka breaks for a second time in the opening set. The defending champion looks well up for this. Photograph: Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty Images

Updated at 04.11 EST

Gauff 2-3 Sabalenka* What do we make of Gauff’s sneakers? Good or too busy? I’m torn, as I like them but my Air Max nature has little time for New Balance now that you ask (unless, of course, worn by Bryan Robson). Anyroad, Sabalenka holds to love, finishing the game with anotherace.

Photograph: Martin Keep/AFP/Getty Images

Updated at 04.03 EST

*Gauff 2-2 Sabalenka Gauff bangs down an ace for 30-15 then, when her drop catches the net, hoists a fine lob when Sabalenka runs in that totally disorients her opponent, searching high and low for a ball which drops in at her feet. Another ace follows, and this is already a banging contest.

Gauff 1-2 Sabalenka* Sabalenka nets, then out first flash of Gauff, a backhand winner down the line, and a netted overhead raises three break-back points. Sabalenka saves the first, but in charge of the next rally, Gauff reads her attempted clean-up, forces her to play an extra shot, then another, the second right at the ankles, and the American races in to pat a putaway over the net, just avoiding the touch. We’re away!

Updated at 03.55 EST

*Gauff 0-2 Sabalenka Gauff, though, begins with a double … and another. She’ll not worry too much about that but she goes for the middle of the box next go to make sure, which invites Sabalenka into the rally. And before long, she opens shoulders to punish an inside-out forehand monster on to the sideline, raising three break points. And a terrific return looks to have done the job, but a great get from Gauff elicits the netted volley – I don’t think she expected that ball to come back. No matter: another fine return is too hit, Gauff nets, and that’s the break! The US champ has seen this before, but I’ve sensed a different Sabalenka these last two weeks. We shall see.

Aryna Sabalenka breaks early in the opening set. Photograph: Julian Finney/Getty Images

Updated at 04.00 EST

Gauff 0-1 Sabalenka* (*denotes server) Sabalenka opens with an ace, then slots a forehand winner into the space having send a serve out wide. Seconds later, the game is hers, and that’s an ominous start from the champ.

Righto, off we go! Sabalenka to serve…

I don’t like to go against Coach Calv, but I fancy Sabalenka for this one. She’s playing with such confidence at the moment – yes, I know it’s fragile, and she’s not been tested yet – but her best match beats Gauff’s and I think we’ll see something close to it.

Some absolute beauties here:

Here come our players!

Regular readers of this blog will be waiting for Coach Calv’s Betton’s breakdown of our first semi and rightly so. Well, here it is: “Will come down to how well Gauff’s forehand holds up and how well she serves. The FH is still ugly as and has no power in it, but she’s been better at making it not crap since the summer. She’s a much better player than Sabalenka all round. If she has a high first serve % it will limit how much Sabalenka can attack her. Sabalenka could just hit though her, but Coco has a great serve and moves great so that seems unlikely.”

Also going on:

Eurosport have just shown us a lovely, heartwarming interview with Daria Kasatkina and her girlfriend, the figure skater Natalia Zabiiako. We’ve come a long, long way since the days of Martina, but given since coming out, Kasatkina hasn’t been home to Russia, we can be certain we’ve still a long way to go.

Sabalenka is arriving at the locker room, and I wonder how he’s feeling. There’ll have been enormous relief at winning here last year, but there remains a fragility about her – perhaps necessarily so, given how hard she hits it, the margins for error so slim. But Rybakina ought really to have beaten her in last year’s final, which to say she’s never brought her best gear to the biggest occasion and she’ll know that. Gauff will too.

Over the last few days, Yastremska has used her platform to speak openly and movingly about what it means to be Ukrainian right now. She’s a very impressive young woman, and I don’t think tonight will get big on her.

That’s good and ultimately unexpected news. Kyrgios has been a lot of fun in commentary, and one thing that shines through is his love for the game, so it makes perfect sense that he’s decided he’s still got things to do.

Updated at 03.16 EST

The conditions might affect our first match, too. If it’s cloudy but not raining, the roof will be open and conditions slower, which might make things harder for Sabalenka by slowing her down … or might mean her extra power is even more significant because it’s harder to Gauff to generate any in response.

It’s a grey day in Melbourne, but it’s also a multicoloured day because it’s Pride Day. What a great innovation that is.

Preamble

In the 1988 FA Cup semi-finals, Nottingham Forest were drawn to play Liverpool, while Luton Town took on Wimbledon. Which, on the face of things, has nothing whatsoever to do with our 2024 Australian Open semi-finals.

But here comes the segue! Luton and Watford were poor relations from whom no one expected anything, while Forest and Liverpool were fantastic sides, two of the best three in the country at the time; their match was widely touted as the final before the final, with good reason.

Except it was Wimbledon who won the Cup, teaching us, once again, that life, and sport in particular, don’t do what we expect them to. So we shouldn’t simply expect that whichever of Aryna Sbalenka and Coco Gauff wins this morning will simply stroll to the title. and if retro football isn’t your thing, just ask poor Ons Jabeur, who beat Sabalenka in the Wimbldeon semis, only to lose her long-awaited coronation of a final to the unseeded Markéta Vondrousová – who’d beaten the unseeded Elina Svitolina to get there.

Coco Gauff v Aryna Sabalenka, though, what a match! Gauff has improved massively over the last year, far better at hiding her forehand than before, but perhaps the biggest change has been a mental one. She now contests these matches expecting to prevail, having come from behind to beat Sabalenka in the US Open final.

Sabalenka, though, is the defending champion, her terrifying power and developing hands a brutal night for anyone. Her cruelty in dismantling Barbora Krejcikova was almost hard to watch but was, of course, fantastic to watch, and she could scarcely arrive at this match in better form.

However there’s always a however so, however: Sabalenka is brilliant at demolishing the lesser lights to reach the last four of Slams – eight in a row now – but has only one final to show for that. It’s not so easy to bully the bigger girls and it won’t be so easy for her to bully Gauff – though we can be certain she’ll try.

Our second match, as the late John Motson once said, appears “to be between the also-rans.” Dayana Yastremska is a qualifier who, in 2021, failed a drug test before later being cleared. It’s impossible to imagine the pain and frustration that must’ve entailed – in 2021, then a promising youngster, she travelled to Melbourne and quarantined for two weeks in a hotel room before discovering her provisional ban would not be lifted. So for her, this is relief and redemption after a long struggle, meaning anyone who plays her is also playing that. She is not to be taken lightly, at all.

And we can be certain Qinwen Zheng knows that. She stands at the edge of immortality, hoping to become the first Chinese to win a major since Li Na, who won Australia in 2014. But with great opportunity comes great pressure, and though she’s handled it well so far – it’s been clear for a couple of rounds that these are the moments of her life – whatever happens here, being her will never be the same again. This is going to be great!

Updated at 03.56 EST