The current queen of Melbourne Park comes face-to-face with one of her biggest critics in the Australian Open semi-finals as Elina Svitolina looks to make history for Ukraine.
See all the news from Day 12 of the Australian Open below!
UFC 325: Volkanovski vs Lopes 2 | SUN 1 FEB 1PM AEDT | For the first time in his storied career, UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski will defend his championship in his home city of Sydney, in a rematch with Brazil’s Diego Lopes. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
Follow live updates from Day 12 at Melbourne Park below, and scroll down for more news!
TENNIS’ AWKWARD WAR REALITY HANGS OVER SEMIS AS CHAMP COMES FACE-TO-FACE WITH CRITIC
It’s been the problem tennis hasn’t quite had a solution to for years, and now it comes to the fore as the Australian Open women’s semi-finals take centre stage tonight.
Many players, including Elina Svitolina, supported the UK’s move to ban Russian and Belarusian players from Wimbledon in 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine.
It somewhat backfired when Russian-born Elena Rybakina, who had chosen to represent Kazakhstan four years prior, won the title – after the tournament was stripped of its ranking points.
Tennis’ broader solution, if it can be called that, has been to allow those players to play but without representing their nation – which is why Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka has twice held up the trophy at Melbourne Park without having a flag next to her name on the scoreboard.
Now Sabalenka must get past Svitolina, in the form of her life three years after giving birth, who is trying to become Ukraine’s first women’s slam finalist.
Svitolina wrote “this is for you Ukraine” on the TV camera lens several times this tournament.
But after beating a pair of Russian players she twice wrote just an “X” on the lens, suggested to be a symbol relating to the war.
Asked whether she had heard messages from back home, Svitolina explained: “Just quickly, because there have been many messages. Just quickly, I saw there’s lots of them.
“Of course, for my country, it’s great. I know that lots of people been watching, especially the matches that I had before.
“It’s, of course, very, for me, very close to my heart to see a lot of support from Ukrainians, and lots of people, also, get to know tennis in Ukraine, which is great, because of course, right now it’s very – it was, I think, one of the toughest winters for Ukrainian people and without electricity and everything.
“So I feel like bring this light, a little light, you know, even just positive news to Ukrainian people, to my friends when they are watching my matches, yeah, of course, it’s great feeling for me.”
Svitolina absolutely THUMPS Gauff in QF | 01:30
Sabalenka already had to deal with the pressure around the Ukraine invasion at this tournament when she, and other Belarusians and Russians on tour, were criticised by fellow player Oleksandra Oliynykova.
“I think it’s very wrong that they are not disqualified in tennis like in other sports,” Oliynykova said.
“Because I know that here is the picture that we are, like all tennis girls playing, but the people don’t see the things behind it.
“And this is the people with money and power, and they are using this to support aggression against my country.”
She then posted on Instagram, after Sabalenka was announced as a Gucci ambassador: “A supporter of a bloody dictator becomes an ambassador for a top brand … what is wrong with this world.
“And at what point did people start valuing powerful serves and forehands over ruined lives?”
In response, the world No.1 said: “I respect that everyone is allowed to have their opinion and use their platforms.
“I’ve been clear before that I’m pro-peace. Nothing has changed. That’s all I can say about that.”
Sabalenka and Zverev power through | 02:16
AUSTRALIAN OPEN DAY 12 ORDER OF PLAY
Women’s Semi-Finals
Rod Laver Arena
Night session from 7:30pm
[1] Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) vs [12] Elina Svitolina (UKR)
[6] Jessica Pegula (USA) vs [5] Elena Rybakina (KAZ)
Discussion about this post