Sabalenka has reached this year’s semi-finals in Melbourne without dropping a set, taking her winning streak at the start of 2026 to 10 matches and 20 consecutive sets.
Having lost two Grand Slam finals last year – first in Melbourne and then at the French Open – Sabalenka defended her US Open crown in September and is the heavy favourite to regain her Australian Open title.
Sabalenka, who has won 19 of her 22 career titles on hard courts, said: “I think every player, when they get to the tournament, is trophy or nothing.
“The mentality is the same, and it’s always in the back of your mind that obviously you want to win it.
“But I’m trying to shift my focus on the right things and just trying my best in each match, each point, each game, each set. That’s my mentality.”
