Elina Svitolina funnily but also honestly stated that she had no interest in sharing what exactly she was planning to do against Aryna Sabalenka.
At 31 years old, the Ukrainian tennis star – who is seeded at No. 12 – made her maiden Australian Open final in an impressive fashion after ousting Coco Gauff 6-1 6-2 in just 59 minutes of play.
For Svitolina, it was her already 10th win in 2026 – she won five matches en route to winning Auckland and now she has also triumphed in her opening five matches at Melbourne Park.
When it comes to Svitolina's form, it has been near-perfect so far in 2026. And considering that she is about to face world No. 1 Sabalenka in the Australian Open, it is safe to say that the Ukrainian could not have picked a better moment to be playing some of the best tennis of her life.
However, Sabalenka is a completely different challenge compared to the majority of the WTA Tour. And the Ukrainian was asked about that challenge and how she was planning to stop the four-time Grand Slam champion from establishing her rhythm on the court.
Svitolina: Not sure I'm going to tell you
“Not sure I’m going to tell you now exactly what I’m going to do," the No. 12 seed cheekily responded.
Svitolina was asked about facing Aryna Sabalenka in the Australian Open Semifinals
“What are the challenges in facing the world #1 on this court? How do you plan to stop her from settling into a rhythm?”
Elina: “Not sure I’m gonna tell you now exactly what I’m gonna do” 😂… pic.twitter.com/LfL8iPzrG8
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 27, 2026
After delivering a bit of a cheeky answer, Svitolina acknowledged that Sabalenka was "a very powerful player" and that she would need to prepare to be ready for what the Belarusian would send her way.
“It's no secret that [Sabalenka’s] a very powerful player. She was playing great tennis, and I think, you know, the power on all aspects of her game is her strength. She's very consistent for the past years with everything that she does on the court. I'll have to be ready for that, try to find the ways and the little holes, little opportunities in her game, then be ready to take them," the Ukrainian explained.
Svitolina hasn't had much success against Sabalenka in the past, winning only one time in six matches.
