WTA Finals 2024: Aryna Sabalenka confirms semi-finals berth after win over Jasmine Paolini

Aryna Sabalenka has topped the purple group in WTA Finals 2024.

Aryna Sabalenka has become the first player to reach the semi-finals of WTA Finals 2024. She defeated Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 7-5 in her second group stage match. Sabalenka had earlier beaten Qinwen Zheng 6-3, 6-4 in the opening match. She will next face Elena Rybakina in her third and final group stage match. Irrespective of the result in the match against Rybakina, Sabalenka will be focusing on the semi-final battle.

The Belarusian was spot on in her performance against Paolini and hit five aces in a battle that lasted for an hour and 30 minutes. She also broke the Italian on five occasions and only lost 12 points on her own first serve. Sabalenka now leads the head to head with three wins in five matches against Paolini.

The world No #1 will be facing Rybakina for the 10th time. She is leading their head to head with six wins but in the 2024 season the duo share a win each in two meetings. Sabalenka is expected to extend her winning streak while Rybakina will hope to end her campaign with a win. She had lost the opening match against Paolini and ended her chances of a semi-final berth after losing to Zheng.

Also Read: Aryna Sabalenka’s potential path to title glory at WTA Finals 2024

Aryna Sabalenka equals decade long WTA Finals record of Serena Williams

With a convincing win over Paolini in WTA Finals 2024, Sabalenka has become the first World No. 1 in a decade to reach back to back semi-finals in the season ending championship. Serena Williams had made consecutive semi-finals as the top ranked player in 2013-2014. Sabalenka had lost in the semi-finals last season against Iga Swiatek.

But this time, the 26-year-old is aiming to make it to the finals for the second time in her career. She had reached the summit clash at the event for the first time in 2022 and lost to Spaniard Caroline Garcia in straight sets. This season, Sabalenka’s only threat seems to be Swiatek as the pair are going neck to neck for the year-end top rankings.

While Swiatek could lose the spot with a loss, Sabalenka is only a win away from ending the season on the top of the rankings. If she wins against Rybakina it will mean that Swiatek will end the 2024 season as World No #2.

Sabalenka and Swiatek could face each other in the championship match of WTA Finals 2024 as it would be the perfect clash for the ultimate trophy. Sabalenka has topped the purple group while Swiatek is expected to do the same in orange group.

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