"Buckle up and embrace this level": Aryna Sabalenka backed to continue Australian Open excellence all the way to the title by Barbara Schett

As she continues her dominant run at the Australian Open, defending champion Aryna Sabalenka has been picked to go all the way and retain her title, according to Eurosport analyst Barbara Schett.

The big-hitting Belarusian has been on a tear during the first Grand Slam of the season, breezing through to the semifinals without dropping a set. Sabalenka cruised past former French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova 6-2 6-3 in their 71-minute quarterfinal encounter, and will face Coco Gauff in a rematch of their US Open final clash from last year.

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Schett believes Sabalenka's current form surpasses that of last year

The World No.2 has dispatched of her opponents with her power and consistency, the latter of which had been a flaw in the Belarusian's game. Furthermore, Schett is of the opinion that with Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina out of the tournament, Sabalenka is the player to beat at Melbourne Park.

"It’s incredible, if you watch her courtside, the speed and power of her shots are unbelievable,” said Schett. “She brings up the intensity every single point. She plays it as if it were a match point. We know the serve; she had problems in the past with her double faults. That’s not a problem anymore.
"Physically, she’s even better than last year. The way she’s moving around; not only laterally but when she had to run to drop shots. She’s agile on the court; she’s quick. At the moment, she is the one to win the Australian Open. Coco Gauff, her next opponent, has to buckle up and embrace this level of tennis. Sabalenka is playing some outstanding tennis."