SABALENKA PSYCHED UP FOR FIRST SLAM WIN

Aryna Sabalenka has taken control on and off the court and has a first grand slam title in her sights at the Australian Open.

The 24-year-old has been tipped as a future major champion for the last five years but her matches were frequently emotional rollercoasters and her three previous grand slam semi-finals all ended in defeat.

There has been something different about Sabalenka at Melbourne Park this year, though, and she is yet to drop a set in 10 matches in 2023, culminating in a first slam semi-final success against Magda Linette.

The Belarusian, who could become the first singles player to win a slam title under a neutral flag, celebrated that milestone with an understated clench of the fist before revealing she has stopped working with a sports psychologist.

“I realised that nobody other than me will help,” she said.

“In pre-season, I spoke to my psychologist, saying ‘Listen, I feel like I have to deal with that by myself, because every time hoping that someone will fix my problem, it’s not fixing my problem’.

“I just have to take this responsibility and I just have to deal with that. I’m my psychologist.”

And Sabalenka will be telling herself ahead of taking on Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the biggest match of her life to embrace the occasion and everything that comes with it.

“I think that’s OK to feel a little bit nervous,” she said.

“It’s a big tournament, big final. If you’re going to start trying to do something about that, it’s going to become bigger.”

Today’s clash will pit two of the biggest hitters in the women’s game against each other.

Rybakina has used her Wimbledon experience to make smooth progress through the draw, knocking out world No 1 Iga Swiatek along the way.