Organic
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Elena Rybakina (Kazakh, 23 years old, 25th in the world, 1.84m, right-handed, two-handed backhand).
Born June 17, 1999 in Moscow.
Having started playing tennis at the age of 5, she played as a junior for Spartak Moscow and was coached in particular by Andrei Chesnokov, former winner in Monte-Carlo.
Then abandoned by the Russian Federation, she accepted the help of the Kazakh Federation and has been playing for her new country since 2018.
She reached her best ranking on January 17, 2022, rising to 12th in the world.
Her Wimbledon title a few months later earned her no ranking points as the WTA (like the ATP) decided not to award any to the tournament which refused to accept Russians and Belarusians in retaliation for the war. in Ukraine.
On Monday, she will enter the world Top10 and even rise to 8th place in the event of a title.
She has racked up $6.4 million in on-tour earnings, excluding the 2023 Australian Open.
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Aryna Sabalenka (Belarusian, 24 years old, 5th in the world, 1.82m, right-handed, two-handed backhand)
Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka during the Australian Open semi-final against Polish Magda Linette, in Melbourne, January 26, 2023 © Martin KEEP / AFP
Born in Minsk on May 5, 1998.
She reached her best ranking, 2nd, on August 23, 2021 and will find it again on Monday.
Not counting the 2023 Australian Open, she has racked up $12.3 million in winnings including a doubles game where she won six titles, including the 2021 Australian Open associated with Belgian Elise Mertens.
Awards
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Rybakina
3 singles titles: Wimbledon in 2022;
Hobart in 2020;
Bucharest in 2019.
Best Grand Slam result: Wimbledon title (2022).
Previously, she had not passed the quarter-finals (Roland-Garros 2021).
This is her fourth Australian Open, where she had never made it past the third round (2020) and her 14th Major overall.
Kazakh Elena Rybakina during her semi-final at the Australian Open against Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, January 26, 2023 © MANAN VATSYAYANA / AFP
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Sabalenka
11 singles titles: Adelaide 1 in 2023;
Madrid, Abu Dhabi in 2021;
Linz, Ostrava, Doha in 2020;
Zhuhai, Wuhan, Shenzhen in 2019;
Wuhan, New Haven in 2018.
Best Grand Slam result: final at Australian Open 2023, semi-finals at Wimbledon 2021, US Open 2021 and 2022. This is her sixth appearance at the Australian Open and the twentieth overall in Majors.
She was banned from Wimbledon last year due to her nationality.
Highlights from the Australian Open 2023
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Rybakina
Conceded only one set of the tournament, in the third round against outgoing finalist Danielle Collins (11th in the world).
She also eliminated three Grand Slam winners: world No.1 Iga Swiatek in the 8th, Jelena Ostapenko (17th) in the quarters and Victoria Azarenka (24th) in the semis.
In total, she spent 8:55 on the court in the first six matches.
The longest (2:05) was against Collins in the third round.
The shortest (58 min) against Kaja Juvan in the second round.
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Sabalenka
Did not concede a single set of the tournament, or even of the season counting his journey to the title in Adelaide.
Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka during the Australian Open semi-final against Polish Magda Linette, in Melbourne, January 26, 2023 © Paul CROCK / AFP
In total, she spent 8:39 on the court in the first six matches.
The longest (1:49) was against Donna Vekic in the quarter-finals.
The shortest (1h09) against Tereza Martincova in the first round.
What they say
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Rybakina
"It's going to be a tough battle. It will be useless to serve at full power because in the evening, the balls do not advance. The important thing will be to place the ball well on the serve. And it will be the same from the baseline. It will have to play long and try to move forward."
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Sabalenka
"It's good to have reached the semi-finals, but there is one game left. She plays very well, serves well. I will have to be present, that I put her under pressure."
© 2023 AFP