No handshake stole the spotlight at the Australian Open as Aryna Sabalenka crushed Elina Svitolina in a politically charged semi-final to storm into yet another Melbourne final. World number one Aryna Sabalenka powered into her fourth straight Australian Open final on Thursday, dismantling Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina in straight sets in a politically charged semi-final that ended without a handshake. It sets up a repeat of the 2023 Melbourne final, which Sabalenka won in three sets. Sabalenka, chasing a third Australian Open crown in four years, looked every bit the dominant force of the tournament. Sabalenka leads Rybakina 8-6 in their head-to-head meetings, though the Kazakhstani-born star beat her at the WTA Finals in November, adding intrigue to Saturday’s Australian Open final.