On a day when Melbourne baked and the Australian Open’s Heat Stress Scale hit its limit of 5.0, the top seed kept her cool. Aryna Sabalenka handled the conditions, the moment, and the teenager across the net, beating 18-year-old American Iva Jovic 6-3, 6-0 to book a place in the 2026 semifinals. Under the closed roof of Rod Laver Arena, the world No. 1 found another gear when it mattered and stretched her perfect season to 10-0 without losing a set.

For the fourth straight year, Sabalenka will play the final weekend in Melbourne. For the sixth straight major, she’s in the last four. This is what great champions do: they turn tight spells into runaway wins and make hard days look simple.

Australian Open 2026: a heat test Sabalenka passed

With temperatures soaring past 40°C, organizers shut the roof and enforced heat protocols. The air was still heavy, the ball quick off the strings, and the court played fast. In that environment, first-strike tennis ruled. Sabalenka embraced it.

Her opening set was measured. She served at 66.1% and won a massive 83.8% of her first-serve points. Even when the rallies stretched, she held her nerve, taking big cuts without spraying errors. The match flipped for good late in that set.

“In that heat, holding serve felt like gold. Sabalenka just banked it every time.”

The turning point: three break points, zero panic

At 4-3 in the first set, Jovic had her window. In the ninth game, the American carved out three break points with bold hitting. Many seasoned pros would wobble there. Sabalenka did the opposite. She erased each chance with clean serving and fearless strikes, then broke in the next game before serving out the set.

From 5-3 up, she rolled. Sabalenka won seven games in a row to the finish line. The second set flashed by in 23 minutes, a scoreboard bagel that said less about Jovic’s effort and more about the champion’s surge.

“These teenagers are testing me in the last couple of rounds,” Sabalenka smiled on court. “She’s an incredible player, it was a tough match — don’t look at the score, it wasn’t easy at all. I’m super happy with the win, it was a tough battle.”

“That 9th game was the match. Jovic blinked, Sabalenka slammed the door.”

By the numbers: first serve, first strike, full control

Sabalenka’s stat sheet told the story. Seven aces. Thirty-one winners against 17 unforced errors. Four breaks from nine chances. She captured 67 of the 112 points played (nearly 60%) and bullied Jovic’s second serve, winning 61% of those points. When Sabalenka got the first strike, she rarely missed.

Jovic landed her share of blows — 12 winners and clean technique from both wings — but the teenager converted none of her five break points. That’s the difference between a deep run and a final-week run: the ruthless points. Sabalenka found them; Jovic will learn them.

• Sabalenka: 66.1% first serves in (37/56)
• 83.8% first-serve points won (31/37)
• 4/9 break points converted (44.4%)
• 31 winners vs. 17 unforced errors
• 10-0 record in 2026, 20-0 in sets

Iva Jovic’s breakout: youngest AO quarterfinalist in 19 years

Jovic’s fortnight was a big step forward. Ranked No. 27, she arrived in Melbourne with a 22-13 career record and a 7-2 mark this year. She announced herself with a stunning 6-0, 6-1 win over Yulia Putintseva in the fourth round. Earlier in the event she also beat 19-year-old Victoria Mboko, showing poise in big moments all week.

Against the top seed, she matched Sabalenka from the baseline for stretches, forced those break points, and showed why she’s set to enter the top 20. More importantly, she showed maturity — a trait Sabalenka herself praised.

“She’s very ambitious… very tough opponent already. Very mature on court,” Sabalenka said. That’s high praise from the world No. 1 and a strong sign for Jovic’s next steps on tour.

“Scoreline is harsh, but Jovic is for real. Top 20 next week, top 10 soon?”

Big-picture stakes: a semifinal streak and a Melbourne blueprint

Sabalenka’s win puts her in her 14th Grand Slam semifinal and keeps alive a remarkable run in Melbourne — she has now won 25 of her last 26 matches at the Australian Open. Not one set dropped this year. The blueprint is clear: take time away with pace, stack first serves, and press second serves with depth and height. When the court is quick and the ball is lively, her power plays up even more.

The heat tried to level the field. The roof closure tried to slow momentum shifts. None of it mattered. Sabalenka managed the environment and the emotions better than anyone in the draw so far. That is why she’s the top seed, and that’s why she’ll be the favorite in the semifinals regardless of who lines up across the net.

What comes next in Melbourne

With each win, the targets on Sabalenka’s back grow. But so does her confidence. Six straight major semifinals says her floor is higher than most players’ ceilings. If she keeps serving this cleanly and striking this freely on return, the title conversation will keep circling back to one name.

For Jovic, the lesson is sharp and positive: you can live with the very best for long spells, but you must cash in your chances. She created them; next time she’ll take more of them. Her run here will jumpstart her season and, by the looks of it, her ranking too.

Final word

In a match shaped by heat and pressure, Sabalenka kept a steady hand and a heavy racquet. The result was emphatic — 6-3, 6-0 — but the message was even louder: in Melbourne 2026, the top seed is playing like the top seed. The semifinal streak rolls on. The chase for the trophy tightens. And a fearless teenager leaves with proof that she belongs on the biggest court of all.