Australian Open 2026 Women's Semifinal Bracket TV Schedule, Start Time, Live Stream
The four women's semifinalists at the 2026 Australian Open have combined to not lose a set across the first five rounds.
No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka is the clear favorite to win the title in Melbourne because of her track record in Australia from the last three years.
Elina Svitolina will try to challenge the top seed's dominance in Thursday's opening semifinal match inside Rod Laver Arena.
American Jessica Pegula squares off with Elena Rybakina in battle of the No. 6 seed versus the No. 5 seed in the second semifinal.
TV coverage of the women's semifinals begins at 3:30 a.m. ET on ESPN and can be live-streamed on the ESPN app or ESPN.com.
No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka vs. No. 12 Elina Svitolina
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Aryna Sabalenka should still be considered the overwhelming favorite to win in Melbourne.
After all, the No. 1 seed has been to the last six hard-court Grand Slam finals. She won four of those matches, including the 2023 and 2024 Australian Opens.
Elina Svitolina qualified for four Grand Slam semifinals in her lengthy career, but she hasn't broken through into a Grand Slam singles final.
Sabalenka owns a 5-1 head-to-head record over Svitolina, another stat that puts the No. 12 seed at a disadvantage in this matchup.
Svitolina won a single set in the last four meetings with Sabalenka. Her only win over the top seed was back in 2020 on a clay court.
The 12th-seeded Ukrainian might be able to keep it close in two sets, or even win a set, but it's difficult to see Sabalenka losing on a surface in which she's been so dominant since the start of the 2023 season.
No. 5 Elena Rybakina vs. No. 6 Jessica Pegula
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Jessica Pegula, the lone American singles player remaining, is after her first berth in a Grand Slam final.
The No. 6 seed finally broke through into a Grand Slam semifinal at the 2024 U.S. Open. She was also a semifinalist in New York in 2025.
The form on the New York hard courts translated to Melbourne this year. She hasn't lost a set on her way to the semifinal clash with Elena Rybakina.
Rybakina has been as dominant down under this year. She also hasn't dropped a set in her first five matches.
The form in Melbourne combined with the 3-3 head-to-head record suggests this will be the closer of the two semifinals. Rybakina won their last meeting at the 2025 WTA Finals in three sets.
Rybakina owns the overall edge in experience at this stage of a Grand Slam. She won Wimbledon in 2022 and was the runner-up at the 2023 Australian Open.
If Pegula plays at her current level, though, it will be a toss-up match that likely will head to three sets.
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