Paula Badosa and Madison Keys will be out to prevent a dream Australian Open final when they face Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, respectively, in Thursday's semi-finals at Melbourne Park. Sabalenka is on course to become the first woman to complete a "three-peat" since Swiss great Martina Hingis from 1997-90,

Aryna Sabalenka will face close friend Paula Badosa in the semi-finals of the Australian Open after battling to victory over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. The two-time defending champion’s 18-match winning run at Melbourne Park looked in serious danger when she lost the second set on a windy Rod Laver Arena.

Aryna Sabalenka will not let her friendship with Paula Badosa affect her quest to win a third successive Australian Open title when the best friends clash in the semi-finals, the defending champion said on Tuesday.