Aryna Sabalenka kept a historic Australian Open hat-trick on track Tuesday as she battled past Russian 27th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 in the quarter-finals.
Double-defending champion Sabalenka blew away Russian 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva 6-1, 6-2 in a ruthless display on the hottest day of the Melbourne tournament so far.
The world number one remained on track to win her third consecutive Melbourne Park title but only after a rollercoaster scrap that lasted more than two hours on Rod Laver Arena.
Thunder and lightning saw players and fans rushing for cover, with the heavy rain a headache for organisers who face a match backlog.
The first Grand Slam of the year gets under way at Melbourne Park as a 15-day event for the second year running, aimed at cutting down on late-night finishes.
The 26-year-old jumped above Poland's French Open champion Iga Swiatek thanks to year-end adjustments in the standings.
Aryna Sabalenka said Tuesday that she wants to cap off a stellar year by returning to the top of the world rankings.
With Roger Federer retired and Rafael Nadal struggling to get back on court due to injuries, Novak Djokovic was the last man of that golden generation standing at Flushing Meadows, but the Serb crashed out in the third round to Australian Alexei Popyrin.
"I'm speechless right now. So many times I thought I was so close to get the US Open title. It has always been a dream of mine and finally I got this beautiful trophy," said Sabalenka.
The Belarusian second seed is yet to drop a set in the tournament after a comfortable 6-2, 6-2 win against the world number 82.
World number two Aryna Sabalenka cruised into the French Open third round on Wednesday with a straight-sets win over fellow Belarusian Iryna Shymanovich.
The big-hitting Belarusian gained revenge for defeat by her Polish rival in the Stuttgart final a fortnight ago with a thrilling triumph to end Swiatek's nine-match winning streak ahead of her French Open defence
Rybakina, playing in her first WTA 1000 final, saved three set points in the opening frame and was never really tested in the second where she cruised to a victory that will send her to a career-high seventh in the rankings
The Australian Open set a Grand Slam attendance record with more than 900,000 spectators visiting over three weeks, organisers said on Tuesday, despite the absence of some big-name players and schedule disruptions due to rain.
An emotional Aryna Sabalenka battled back from a set down to beat Elena Rybakina and win the Australian Open on Saturday for her first Grand Slam title.
Aryna Sabalenka surged into the Australian Open final with a 7-6(1) 6-2 win over unseeded Pole Magda Linette on Thursday to extend the red-hot Belarusian's unbeaten start to the year and book a clash with Elena Rybakina.
Aryna Sabalenka reached her maiden Australian Open semifinal with a battling 6-3, 6-2 victory over unseeded Donna Vekic on Wednesday at Rod Laver Arena in a 1hr 49min tussle.
Caroline Garcia became the latest top-10 seed to fall at the Australian Open with a shock defeat to Magda Linette, but Aryna Sabalenka blasted her way into the quarter-finals on Monday.
