VIDEO SHOWS: HIGHLIGHTS FROM AUSTRALIAN OPEN SEMIFINAL MATCH BETWEEN ARYNA SABALENKA AND ELINA SVITOLINA / SOUNDBITES OF SABALENKA RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT SHOWS: MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA (JANUARY 29, 2026)(TENNIS AUSTRALIA – See restrictions) ARYNA SABALENKA (BELARUS) V ELINA SVITOLINA (UKRAINE) 1. ELINA SVITOLINA WALKING INTO COURT 2. ARYNA SABALENKA WALKING INTO COURT FIRST SET 3. SABALENKA SAVES BREAKPOINT WITH AN ANGLED BACKHAND 4. CROWD CHEERING 5. CHAIR UMPIRE CALLS HINDRANCE (FROM SABALENKA) AND STOPS PLAY 6. VARIOUS OF SABALENKA SPEAKING WITH CHAIR UMPIRE AND REQUESTING VIDEO REVIEW 7. REPLAY OF THE POINT 8. UMPIRE ANNOUNCING HINDRANCE CALL STANDS AFTER VIDEO REVIEW 9. SABALENKA REACTING 10. SVITOLINA WINNING POINT WITH A FOREHAND PASSING SHOT 11. SVITOLINA’S TEAM AND HUSBAND GAEL MONFILS CHEERING / FANS CHEERING WITH UKRAINE FLAG 12. FOREHAND VOLLEY FINISH BY SABALENKA 13. CROWD CHEERING 14. FOREHAND VOLLEY WINNER BY SABALENKA 15. SABALENKA TAKES SET WITH BACKHAND WINNER SECOND SET 16. FORMER AUSTRALIAN CRICKET CAPTAIN RICKY POINTING IN THE STANDS 17. SVITOLINA BREAKS TO GO 1-0 UP AFTER SABALENKA PUTS BACKHAND LONG 18. SABALENKA BREAKS BACK WITH BACKHAND WINNER TO MAKE IT 2-2 19. SABALENKA BREAKS SVITOLINA WITH BACKHAND WINNER FOR 4-2 LEAD 20. SABALENKA HITS FOREHAND WINNER TO SAVE BREAKPOINT 21. FOREHAND WINNER BY SABALENKA TO WIN MATCH 22. SABALENKA CELEBRATING / HER TEAM CELEBRATING 23. PLAYERS SHAKING HANDS WITH UMPIRE AND GOING SEPARATE WAYS 24. SABALENKA WAVING TO CROWD 25. (SOUNDBITE) (English) WORLD NUMBER ONE ARYNA SABALENKA ON REACHING AUSTRALIAN OPEN FINAL WITHOUT DROPPING A SET, SAYING: "I just cannot believe that honestly, and yeah, that's an incredible achievement, but the job's not done yet, and super happy with the win. She's such a tough opponent, was playing really incredible tennis throughout the whole week. And yeah, just super happy to be through this tough match." 26. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARYNA SABALENKA ON BEING ON TOP OF HER GAME AGAINST ELINA SVITOLINA, SAYING: "I mean, I've been watching her game. She was playing incredibly against Mira, against Coco overall throughout the tournament. And I felt like I had to step in and put as much pressure as I could back on her. And I'm glad that the level was there today. I played great tennis, and yeah, happy to get this win in straight sets." 27. SABALENKA SIGNING CAMERA LENS, WAVING GOODBYE AND WALKING 28. CAMERA LENS WITH SABALENKA’S MESSAGE STORY: Aryna Sabalenka swept to her fourth successive Australian Open final with a 6-2 6-3 win over Ukrainian Elina Svitolina on Thursday (January 29) in a semi-final overshadowed by geopolitical tension. Top-seeded Belarusian Sabalenka will bid for a third crown at Melbourne Park in four years and fifth Grand Slam title overall against the winner of the late semi-final between Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina at Rod Laver Arena. "I just cannot believe that. It's an incredible achievement but the job is not done yet," world number one Sabalenka said on court. "I'm super happy with the win. She's such a tough opponent and has been playing incredible tennis the whole week." Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, for which Belarus has been a staging ground, Russian and Belarusian players have been banned from representing their nations at the Grand Slams and tour events. Svitolina has been vocal about the strain of playing the countries' players, and said she hoped to bring her nation "light" at the Australian Open after a tough winter. The 27-year-old Sabalenka, however, crushed those hopes in a furious display of raw power. She became the third woman in the professional era to reach the Australian Open decider four times in a row following Evonne Goolagong Cawley (1971-76) and Martina Hingis (1997-2002), who each played six finals in a row. While 31-year-old Svitolina was comprehensively defeated, she fought hard from the first ball to the last. The 12th seed started with tenacity, thumping a forehand winner down the line on the first point returning serve. Sabalenka wobbled, giving up two break points with a loose backhand, but blasted her way out of danger. There was early tension at 2-1 when Svitolina was awarded a point mid-rally, with Sabalenka penalised for hindering the point with a late grunt. Incensed, she demanded a video review but the point stood. She channelled her frustration into breaking Svitolina, then held for a 4-1 lead. Pinning Svitolina well behind the baseline, Sabalenka grabbed three set points and converted the third, roaring "Let's go!" after a sizzling cross-court backhand winner. After 41 minutes of earth-shaking power, Sabalenka's weapons finally misfired. She dropped the opening service game of the second set with a clutch of errors, raising cheers from a crowd yearning for a contest. But Sabalenka steadied herself, breaking Svitolina twice in succession. Svitolina never dropped her head and earned a break point when trailing 4-2 to put the match back on serve. Sabalenka was not to be denied, though. After thrashing a forehand winner down the line to save the break point, she proved unstoppable. Grabbing two match points with a huge serve, Sabalenka closed it out in style, swooping forward with a forehand cross-court winner to book her chance of claiming a third trophy at Melbourne Park. (Production: Bhagya Ayyavoo)
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