Belarusian neutral Aryna Sabalenka proved too strong for Poland's Magda Linette ©Getty Images

Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka is through to her first Grand Slam final at the Australian Open, where she is set to play Kazakhstan's Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina.

There could have been an all-Belarusian final with Rybakina facing two-time winner Victoria Azarenka, enjoying her best run at the Australian Open since triumphing in 2013.

World number five Sabalenka said after her quarter-final victory over Croatia's Donna Vekić that she "really wants" to face her compatriot in the final at Melbourne Park.

Russian and Belarusian players are competing as neutrals because of the war in Ukraine

However, Rybakina has been in brilliant form at the Australian Open, beating last year's runner-up Danielle Collins of the United States, world number one and clear favourite Iga Świątek of Poland and Latvian former French Open winner Jeļena Ostapenko.

Rybakina powered three aces in the first game of the match on Rod Laver Arena, but both players broke their opponent's serve twice in the first set to force a tiebreak.

Kazakhstan's Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, left, beat Belarusian neutral and two-time winner Victoria Azarenka, right, in straight sets ©Getty Images
Kazakhstan's Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, left, beat Belarusian neutral and two-time winner Victoria Azarenka, right, in straight sets ©Getty Images

The tiebreak went 7-4 in Rybakina's favour, and she dominated the second set, breaking Azarenka's serve for the third time to clinch it 6-3.

"For sure I'm super happy, I'm super proud," she said.

"I'm very happy to play her one more time.

"Today it was a little tough for me, different conditions, I couldn’t be super aggressive.

"In the end I managed to win and I'll try my best in the final, of course."

Sabalenka's hopes of an all-Belarusian final were over before her match against Poland's Magda Linette, who has been the surprise of the tournament after reaching her first Grand Slam semi-final at the age of 30.

The fifth seed had lost her previous three semi-finals at Grand Slams, and lost her serve in the first game against Linette.

However, she recovered to force a tiebreak, in which a powerful performance allowed her to dominate and win 7-1.

Sabalenka then proved too strong for Linette in the second set, taking it 6-2 to clinch the match.

The women's singles final is scheduled for Saturday (January 28).

Men's singles semi-finals between Russian neutral Karen Khachanov and Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Serbia's Novak Djokovic against the US' Tommy Paul are due to be held tomorrow.