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Aryna Sabalenka has now made the semifinals at the five biggest tournaments of the year

She’s the first woman to reach the semis at all four majors and the WTA Finals in a season since Justine Henin in 2006.

ByJohn Berkok

Published Nov 03, 2023

HIGHLIGHTS: A. Sabalenka def. E. Rybakina; WTA Finals RR

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Aryna Sabalenka closed out a two-day battle at the WTA Finals in Cancun on Friday, completing a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Elena Rybakina to qualify for the semifinals of the season-ending event.

In a winner-take-all round-robin match where the victor would advance to the semifinals and the loser would go home, Sabalenka came through—but it was anything but a smooth ride.

After coming on and off the court several times on Thursday night due to rain, the match was ultimately suspended with Sabalenka up 6-2, 3-5—the two resumed play on Friday afternoon and Rybakina pushed it to a third set, but Sabalenka rebounded for the three-set win.

And with her win over Rybakina, Sabalenka not only clinched a spot in the semifinals of the season-ending event, she did something no woman has done in 17 years—Sabalenka has become the first player to reach the semifinals or better at all four Grand Slams AND the WTA Finals in the same year since Justine Henin in 2006.

Sabalenka went 23-3 at the Grand Slams this year.

Sabalenka went 23-3 at the Grand Slams this year.

© 2023 Robert Prange

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Sabalenka started off her 2023 Grand Slam season with a run to the Australian Open title, followed by reaching the semifinals of Roland Garros, the semifinals of Wimbledon and the final of the US Open, and she’s now going to post at least a semifinal finish at the WTA Finals.

In 2006, Henin made the final of the Australian Open, won Roland Garros, made two more finals at Wimbledon and the US Open and then won the WTA Finals, which were held in Madrid that year.

Serena Williams came close to achieving the feat twice, having reached the semifinals or better at all four majors in both 2015 and 2016, but she didn’t compete at the WTA Finals in either year.

This year, Jessica Pegula had already clinched first place in the Bacalar Group, so Sabalenka qualifies in second place in that group.

The semifinal match-ups have yet to be determined as no one from the other group has even qualified for the semifinals yet, let alone clinched a specific spot, which determines the semifinal match-ups.