PREVIEW | 2024 Brisbane International SEMI-FINALS including RYBAKINA, SABALENKA v AZARENKA, RUNE and DIMITROV

Saturday is semi-final day at the 2024 Brisbane International with a big final in particular to be poised on the WTA side with Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka kept apart and on a collision course for a meeting in the final.

Same can be said for the top two ATP seeds as Holger Rune and Grigor Dimitrov will aim to set up a Super Sunday in Brisbane. Our preview sets the scene as we move closer to the first title winners of the season.

On the WTA side of the draw, it is two polar opposite clashes as compatriots collide and a teenager aims to stop the unstoppable so far this week in Rybakina.

Rybakina will face Linda Noskova as opposed to Mirra Andreeva who some thought would win through that clash. The Czech ace made history alongside the 16-year-old by becoming the first all teenage Quarter-Final since 2009 and it was the former who continued through. The 19 year old has form in Australia where she came to the attention of many with her run through to the final against Aryna Sabalenka after being a qualifier in Adelaide which takes place next week. As a result of her superb year, she is well inside the top 50 and could prove to be the cork in the bottle and face Sabalenka again.

But Rybakina has only lost 6 games all week against Olivia Gadecki, Elise Mertens and a first set walk-over against Anastasia Potapova so alongside Sabalenka who has been as equally impressive looks in top form already. An uphill battle awaits.

Then it is the turn of Aryna Sabalenka in the second half of this top tandem as she will face the trickier of the two ties facing Victoria Azarenka her compatriot.

Albeit Sabalenka has some aces up her sleeve. Beng utterly dominant this week for one in taking apart last Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-4 in the Quarter-Finals as well as a 3-1 Head to Head record with a last win coming in 2021 during Azarenka's comeback peak.

It is a best run in some time for 'Vika' who was poor to end the season but has found her form again. Albeit in her match against Jelena Ostapenko, more mind was paid to the cold handshake and the latter's outburst at the umpire. But she will aim to topple Sabalenka next. Can we get the dream final or will Noskova and Azarenka pay heed to that?

The ATP semi-finals are also set to take place with Holger Rune who has been very good this week set to take on Roman Safiullin who has kept rolling since his opening win over Ben Shelton.

Albeit with some close three set ties, Rune who is without coaches Boris Becker and Severin Luthi will take a lot of confidence from this week regardless of if he wins the title or not. He has two hurdles left between himself and a first title of the season.

One of those hurdles could be Grigor Dimitrov. The last finalist on the main tour of last season could be the first of this year after his run in Paris. He is not facing Rafael Nadal though. Instead, it is Jordan Thompson.

Thompson saved multiple match points and dented the charge of the Spaniard who picked up a slight injury in the process and will hope to set up a final featuring a home hero. A big day of action awaits in Brisbane!