Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka put her close friendship with Paula Badosa aside Thursday to sweep past the Spaniard into a third successive Australian Open final.

The Belarusian world No 1 came home 6-4, 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena and will meet either Polish second seed Iga Swiatek or American 19th seed Madison Keys in Saturday’s decider.

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The hard, fast courts of Melbourne Park have been the 26-year-old’s happy place.

She has now won 20 straight matches at the Australian Open to close in on a third consecutive crown – something that hasn’t happened this century.