"I really wanted that revenge": Aryna Sabalenka gunning to reverse US Open heartbreak against Coco Gauff

Aryna Sabalenka awaits a revenge as she faces Coco Gauff in the semifinals of the 2024 Australian Open following their challenging encounter in the US Open final. On that occasion, the American overcame a set deficit and ultimately secured victory with a scoreline of 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, claiming her first Grand Slam title.

With the early exits of Swiatek and Rybakina, attention has turned to world No. 2 Sabalenka and No. 3 Gauff, who have lived up to their favoritism and now will meet in the semifinals.

The Belarusian has been overpowering in each match, averaging only 3.2 games lost per match. In the quarterfinals, she faced the 9th seed and former French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova, producing another dominant performance that concluded in just over an hour with a score of 6-2, 6-3.

On the other side, Gauff also had a straightforward path throughout the tournament. However, in the quarterfinals, she encountered a resilient Marta Kostyuk, who pushed her to the limit. The American eventually secured a hard-fought victory with a scoreline of 7-6(6), 6-7(3), 6-2 in a match marked by errors from both sides.

The 2023 champion has now secured 12 consecutive victories. Reflecting on her recent triumph against Krejcikova and looking ahead to the upcoming battle with Gauff, she expressed her excitement for the rematch, emphasizing her desire for revenge after their previous encounter in the US Open final.

"I love it, I love it. After US Open, I really wanted that revenge, and, I mean, that's a great match. It's always great battles against Coco, with really great fights. I'm happy to play her, and I'm super excited to play that semifinal match," Sabalenka said.

"She [Coco Gauff] is moving really well, everything you do on court, it's coming back. So you need to build the point probably a couple of times in one point, like, to have that, easy shot to finish the point. So that's why she's a really tough opponent, she's a great player," world No. 2 added.