Brisbane International | Aryna Sabalenka flips the script on Keys as Pegula only needs two sets to pass Samsonova

The semi-finalists continue to be set at the Brisbane International with only a certain Andreeva v Kostyuk tie still in the offing in Australia but for Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula, it was progression on Thursday.

World No.1 Sabalenka gained a modicum of revenge albeit she doesn't see it like that as she saw off Madison Keys who famously defeated her in the final of the Australian Open back in 2025. She broke Keys in five straight service games on her way to victory in one and 1/2 hours to reach the semi-finals.

Albeit Keys perhaps was a bit undercooked and fell into her hands anyway as she didn't look 100% during her battle with Diana Shnaider who herself also had to take a mid-match time-out as both struggled in the opening week of the season. No such struggle for Sabalenka but no such mention of revenge.

"I didn´t really have the throwback to the Australian Open last year, to be honest," Sabalenka said as per AP. "I know that I lost in Australia against her and it's a big motivation, of course, to go out and get the win.

"But I always look into the (next) match as like a new match against a new player. That's my approach."

That new mindset also goes for head to heads as she admitted it isn't something she massively spends her time thinking about and that it is a new day and she said that it seems to be working well for her in that regard.

"Doesn´t matter if I´m the one who is leading head-to-head or I´m the one who is losing - I don´t care," Sabalenka said. "In the past, I could lose a match because I´d be so frustrated. Now I´m just trying to move on like, `OK, whatever,'" she said. "I feel like it´s been working well for me."

Sabalenka opened the tie with a first break in the service game and then took six out of the next seven games. Keys broke to open the second set but that was the only interruption from a pretty dominant display from the Belarusian.

Keys second serve in particular was put under a great weight of pressure as she finished the match with eight double faults and won just 33% of her second serve points. She saved two match points in the eighth of the second but it didn't slow down Sabalenka who served it out from there.

While Jessica Pegula will face the winner of Andreeva v Kostyuk, Sabalenka is set to face Karolina Muchova who ended Elena Rybakina's incredible win streak and looked superb in doing so.

The American on the other hand will fly the flag for her nation after the demise of both Keys and also Anisimova in the round prior. She won 6-3, 7-6(3) against Liudmila Samsonova not requiring three sets unlike her previous two wins in an accomplished display from the fourth seed.

She had defeated Dayana Yastremska 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 and also Anna Kalinskaya 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 in previous rounds. The latter in particular has often been a thorn in her side over the years but she has passed all tests and now Kostyuk or Andreeva await.