Fourth seed Aryna Sabalenka continues to roll through the draw at the 2021 Abu Dhabi WTA Women's Open, blasting ninth seed Maria Sakkari 6-3, 6-2 in the semifinals.
The Belarussian ripped off 22 winners to just eight unforced errors. She also fired eight aces past Sakkari, who she defeated for the fourth time in five career meetings.
Sabalenka plays flawless tennis to reach final
Sabalenka got off to a roaring start as she held and broke Sakkari in the second game of the match after the Greek missed backhand wide to take a 2-0 lead.
The fourth seed was untouchable on serve through most of the first set, winning 12 points in a row, the last when the Greek dumped a backhand into the net to extend her advantage to 4-1.
Sakkari did mount a late mini-charge, breaking and holding to cut the deficit to 5-3, but after a crosscourt backhand by Sabalenka drew an error from the ninth seed, she was a set ahead and in control.
At 2-2 in the second set, Sabalenka gave herself plenty of chances to break and on her fifth chance, she crushed a forehand winner down the line to assume the lead.
The remainder of the match was a mere formality as the Belarussian rolled through the final three games, sealing victory with aces on the last two points of the match.