Sabalenka, Zheng power through to Australian Open women's final

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and China's top-ranked player Zheng Qinwen will meet in an intriguing women's final at the Australian Open after recording comfortable victories on Thursday, reported Xinhua.

The 12th seed Zheng is closing in on ending a decade-long title drought in Grand Slam singles for Chinese players after a 6-4, 6-4 semifinal win over qualifier Dayana Yastremska in one hour and 42 minutes.

Her idol Li Na is the only Chinese player to have won a Grand Slam singles title here, having famously triumphed at Roland Garros in 2011 before lifting the trophy at the Australian Open exactly a decade ago.

"It feels unbelievable. I'm super excited to have such a great performance. It's tough to feel my emotions right now," said Zheng after her first Grand Slam semifinal.

The 21-year-old Zheng ended the giant-killing run of No.93 Yastremska, who had beaten reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova and two-time former tournament winner Victoria Azarenka.

The Ukrainian was in distress and clutching at her stomach muscle in the middle of the first set after running for a forehand. She fought on and battled bravely, but Zheng had all the answers and clinched victory on serve as she raised her arms aloft and let out a roar in celebration.

Zheng has impressively built on a breakout season last year, but her quest for a first Grand Slam crown will have to go through the formidable presence of Sabalenka, who has not lost a set in the tournament.

Second seed Sabalenka kept her title defence on track with a powerful 7-6 (2), 6-4 victory over fourth seed Coco Gauff in one hour and 42 minutes. It was sweet revenge for Sabalenka after she fell to Gauff in an epic final at last year's U.S. Open.

There was much anticipation over the rivalry being renewed, but a confident Sabalenka continued her remarkable form in Melbourne.

The 25-year-old appeared to be blasting past the American with a 5-2 lead in the first set before she lost concentration and dropped four straight games. But Sabalenka lifted a level to break back and force a tiebreak, which she controlled to draw first blood.

Sabalenka had to fend off a determined challenge from Gauff, but she relentlessly attacked her serve which cracked in the ninth game. The Belarusian calmly closed it out to become the first women's player since Serena Williams in 2016 and 2017 to reach back-to-back finals in Melbourne.

Sabalenka is bidding to clinch a successful title defence at the Australian Open since Azarenka in 2013.

"I was able to focus on myself. I was prepared that she was going to move well and put all the balls back and I was just ready for anything," she said. "She's a great player and I enjoy playing her. I really hope that in the future we are going to play many more finals."

Earlier, China's Zhang Zhizhen and Tomas Machac's barnstorming run in the men's doubles ended after falling to second seeds Matthew Ebden and Rohan Bopanna.

The unseeded Chinese-Czech pairing had unexpectedly made a strong tilt at the title, but were halted in the semifinals by doubles specialists Ebden and Bopanna 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (10-7).

The Australian-Indian pairing were finalists at last year's US Open, but have yet to win a Grand Slam title together. They will face in the final Italians Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori, who beat German pair Yannick Hanfmann and Dominik Koepfer in a third set deciding tiebreak.

Zhang, who is ranked 625 in doubles, and Machac had enjoyed a spectacular run highlighted by a third round upset over doubles specialists and third seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury.

It ended the Australian Open campaign of Zhang, China's highest ranked men's singles player, who fell in the second round to 21st seed Ugo Humbert in four sets.

The men's semifinals will be held on Friday with 10-time tournament champion Novak Djokovic facing fourth seed Jannik Sinner. In the night session, former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev plays sixth seed Alexander Zverev, who knocked out No.2 Carlos Alcaraz in the last eight.