Azarenka beats Pegula to set up Rybakina semi-final

VICTORIA Azarenka continued her quest for a third Australian Open title – a decade on from her last – by knocking American third seed Jessica Pegula out in the quarter-finals.

The 33-year-old Belarusian, seeded 24th, made a confident start and used the momentum to win 6-4 6-1.

Pegula was the highest seed left but must wait for a first Slam semi-final.

Azarenka faces Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the last four after the Kazakh beat Jelena Ostapenko 6-2 6-4.

Rybakina, 23, fired 11 aces and 24 winners as she claimed a dominant victory over Latvia’s 17th seed Ostapenko.

The Kazakh, who is seeded 22nd, wrapped up victory in one hour and 19 minutes following a lengthy rain delay on Rod Laver Arena.

“I’m super happy to be in the semi-finals for the first time,” said Rybakina, the youngest player left in the women’s draw.

“Of course I was nervous, especially in the last game. I’m super happy I managed the emotions and I played really well today.”

Azarenka ‘creating new memories’ by not looking back
Having won back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013, Azarenka is a player who thrives in Melbourne and showed it once again as she dismantled a below-par Pegula.

The former world number one was back in the quarter-finals for the first time since she became a mother – having given birth to son Leo in 2016 – and reached the last four for the first time since her last triumph.

Despite her rich pedigree at Melbourne Park, Azarenka says she does not “really look back and think about” what she has achieved.

Instead she prefers to “create new memories” and applying this forward-thinking approach before the new season is paying dividends.

“I felt last year my tennis wasn’t bad but I was not mentally ready and played with fear and anxiety. It was difficult to play brave,” she said.

“I worked a lot on my mindset in the off-season, challenging myself on things I wouldn’t really do before.

“When you have achieved great success, you can become conservative and and hesitant to try new things.

“I tried new things, put my head down and worked hard.”

An aggressive start full of clean hitting enabled Azarenka to move into a 3-0 lead and, after being unable to convert four set points and losing serve for 5-4, she broke again to clinch the opening set.

The second set was even more one-sided. Azarenka, playing at a consistently high level reminiscent of her best, broke three times and conceded just 13 points as a despondent Pegula fell at the quarter-final stage of a major for the fifth time.

“I don’t think I was thinking about that [quarter-final record] at all,” said 28-year-old Pegula.

“Once you’re out there it’s another match and you’re trying to win. Losing sucks but I don’t think that had an effect on me.(BBC Sport)