MELBOURNE, Australia — Aryna Sabalenka was always going to end up in the final of another Grand Slam.
Thursday night in Melbourne, Sabalenka, the world No. 1, cruised through Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in the Australian Open semifinal, spoiling Svitolina’s quest to boost morale back home with a 6-2, 6-3 win that was as emphatic as it was predictable.
That is no slight on Svitolina, even if she was off her best form in the cool, still air of the Melbourne Park evening. With the win, Sabalenka made her 11th final since last January. That includes five of the last six biggest events in the sport: The Grand Slams and the WTA Tour Finals.
Her patterns in this part of the world have also become familiar. For a second consecutive…