Melbourne (AFP) - Belarusian world number one Aryna Sabalenka crushed Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina in a politically charged Australian Open semi-final on Thursday and faces Elena Rybakina for a third Melbourne title.

There was no handshake after Sabalenka dismantled Svitolina 6-2, 6-3, before Kazakhstan’s Rybakina was also a straight-sets winner, over Jessica Pegula of the United States.

The ruthless Sabalenka will take some stopping as she pursues a third Melbourne crown in four years.

She is on an 11-match win streak this year, having come into the first major of 2026 on the back of claiming the title in Brisbane.

The hard-hitting 27-year-old is into her fourth Australian Open final in a row and yet to drop a set all year.

Sabalenka and Moscow-born fifth seed Rybakina have met 14 times, with the Belarusian winning eight of them.

That includes the Melbourne final in 2023, when Sabalenka fought back to win in three sets.

Ahead of her semi-final clash with 12th seed Svitolina, an announcement was made at Rod Laver Arena that there would be no handshake afterwards, asking fans to “respect” that.

Like other players from Ukraine, Svitolina does not shake hands with opponents from Russia or Moscow’s ally Belarus because of the war.

Sabalenka and Svitolina also noticeably kept apart for the pre-match formalities and photos.

After a dominant victory, Sabalenka was close to tears as she reflected on the “dream” life she leads.

She had warm words for Svitolina, saying: “I’m super happy with the win, she’s a really tough opponent, she was playing really incredible tennis throughout the whole week.”

There was controversy at the start of the fourth game.

With the match on serve, Sabalenka was hit with a hindrance call from the umpire for grunting, triggering a long video review and boos.

A clearly irritated Sabalenka lost the point but recovered her poise and a break of serve early in the second set to surge home.

A reflective Svitolina said the plight of her homeland put the defeat into perspective.

“People are really living horrible and terrifying lives in Ukraine, so I should not be allowed to really be sad because I’m a very, very lucky person,” the 31-year-old said.

- Rybakina denies Pegula -

Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, was always in control of her semi-final against sixth-seeded Pegula.

But she got nervous at the death, before making her supremacy count in a 6-3, 7-6 (⁹⁄₇) arm-wrestle over 1hr 40min.

Like Sabalenka, the 26-year-old has not dropped a set at the tournament.

“It was such a battle. It was an epic second set,” said Rybakina.

“I’m really proud that no matter the situation, I was leading, and then, of course, it was very tight, I still stayed there.

“I was fighting for each point.”

Rybakina, who defeated second seed Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals, has been in sizzling recent form.

She beat Sabalenka to win the WTA Finals in Riyadh in November and has won 19 of her last 20 matches.

- ‘Fine line’ -

Off court, Australian Open chief Craig Tiley said it was “a fine line” between player promotion and privacy after top stars complained about backstage cameras at the Grand Slam, with Swiatek comparing it to a zoo.

The debate ignited when Coco Gauff was caught on camera repeatedly smashing her racquet in the bowels of the stadium following her defeat in the quarter-finals.

The United States two-time major winner was unhappy that what she thought was a private moment to vent her frustrations was broadcast for the world to see.

Speaking publicly for the first time on the debate, tournament director Tiley told the Tennis Channel: “We want to listen to the players, we want to really understand what their needs and what their wants are.”

He pointed out that while television cameras were in places including the player gym, other rooms were off-limits – that included the locker room, coaches room and recovery rooms.

“It’s a fine line between the player promotion and event promotion and where the cameras are,” he said.