09:59 AM
Rybakina 7-6 (4), 1-1 Azarenka* (*denotes next server)
Ace No 7 by Rybakina, 30-0. No 8 makes it 40-0. Deep backhand by Azarenka catches the baseline and rushes Rybakina into an error, 40-30.
Ace No 9 from Rybakina to hold.
09:56 AM
Second set: Rybakina* 7-6 (4), 0-1 Azarenka (*denotes next server)
Ace by Azarenka, 15-15. Followed by a double fault, 15-30. Rybakina goes for a forehand winner down the line on the run but just misses, 30-30.
Rybakina goes on the attack and pushes Azarenka into an error, break point.
Shot of the match from Azarenka. She desperately takes in the rally, Rybakina hits a good forehand approach shot but Azarenka responds with an even better cross-court running forehand winner.
Azarenka holds serve with an ace.
09:50 AM
Twitter reacts
09:47 AM
Latest update from Simon Briggs in Melbourne
09:47 AM
Rybakina 7-6 (4) Azarenka
Azarenka drags a backhand wide, 5-2. Azarenka's game is unravelling.
Great angle from Azarenka as she whips a forehand into the corner, 5-3. Rybakina forehand long, 5-4. A wild shot that one.
Azarenka backhand long, 6-4. Two set points. Azarenka forehand into the tramlines, 7-4.
09:43 AM
Rybakina 6-6 Azarenka
Rybakina first serve unreturned by Azarenka, 1-0. Azarenka forehand goes long, 2-0. Rybakina backhand into the net, 2-1.
Rybakina backhand into the net, 2-2. Rybakina pushes Azarenka wide with a forehand the Belarusian's reply is long, 3-2. Azarenka double fault, 4-2. She went far too big on that. Could be a decisive moment.
09:38 AM
Rybakina* 6-6 Azarenka (*denotes next server)
Pressure? What pressure? Azarenka holds to love easily to send this set into a tiebreak.
Nothing to separate these two so far but Azarenka is playing the better tennis right now.
09:36 AM
Rybakina 6-5 Azarenka* (*denotes next server)
All of a sudden Azarenka is happy to go toe-to-toe with Rybakina, who is struggling to find her first serve and those cheap points.
Azarenka forehand winner, 0-30. Rybakina double fault, 0-40. Three break points.
Rybakina saves the first when Azarenka's backhand goes wide. Dominant rally from Rybakina and she finishes with a forehand winner. Azarenka backhand return into the net off a Rybakina second serve. That was a bad miss.
Rybakina finishes with a flourish, hammering down her sixth ace. Her first serve percentage has gone from 75 per cent to 48. She will be thrilled to get through that game unscathed.
Pressure back on Azarenka.
09:29 AM
Rybakina* 5-5 Azarenka (*denotes next server)
Azarenka now serving to stay in the set. She hits her first double fault on the opening point.
But the 24th seeds drills a backhand winner down the line, 30-15. Rybakina barely moved for that.
Mis-hit on the backhand from Rybakina and the ball flies well wide, 40-30. Another framed backhand by Rybakina into the tramlines and Azarenka holds.
09:25 AM
Rybakina 5-4 Azarenka* (*denotes next server)
Good start to the game from Azarenka as she hits a backhand winner down the line. Azarenka goes on the attack and draws the backhand error from Rybakina.
Outrageous backhand drop volley by Rybakina on the angle, 15-30 Controlled the racket head expertly.
Shake of the head from Azarenka as she sees another forehand winner by Rybakina whistle past her.
Set point Rybakina after Azarenka nets a forehand. Rybakina comes forward and hits a decent forehand volley but she doesn't do enough and Azarenka makes a running forehand pass down the line.
Break point Azarenka after Rybakina strikes a forehand long. Saved by Rybakina with a 132km/h backhand winner.
Second break point for Azarenka after a backhand winner. Pressure gets to Rybakina and after nearly seven minutes she sends a backhand long.
Azarenka breaks.
09:18 AM
Latest update from Simon Briggs in Melbourne
09:17 AM
Rybakina* 5-3 Azarenka (*denotes next server)
Back to back forehand winners from Rybakina gives her two break points. Azarenka saves them both after finding her first serve and finishing the points with forehand winners of her own.
Another wonderful rally. Great point construction by Rybakina as she bullies Azarenka and finishes with a forehand winner.
Azarenka forehand into the net. Rybakina breaks and will serve for the set.
09:11 AM
Rybakina 4-3 Azarenka* (*denotes next server)
Normal service resumes for Rybakina on serve. She hits a fifth ace to move to 30-0 then two unreturned first serves allow her to hold to love.
Big-time tennis that.
09:09 AM
Rybakina* 3-3 Azarenka (*denotes next server)
Errors flowing from the racket of Rybakina at the moment. Azarenka has settled better and playing more solid tennis despite the difference in shot speed.
But Rybakina crushes a backhand winner into the corner, 30-30. Mis-hit forehand by Azarenka after a deep forehand by Rybakina, break point.
Rybakina gets a look at a second serve from Azarenka and blasts a forehand return down the line which is too hot for the Belarusian.
Rybakina breaks.
09:04 AM
Latest update from Simon Briggs in Melbourne
09:04 AM
Rybakina 2-3 Azarenka* (*denotes next server)
An opening for Azarenka after Rybakina nets a forehand, 15-30. Rybakina responds with an ace, 30-30.
'Lets go' says Azarenka after a great return and finishing the point with a forehand winner, break point.
Brilliant point. Rybakina is forced to come forward, Azarenka plays a passing shot down the line, Rybakina reaches it but can't do much with the ball and that gives Azarenka the chance to put away a simple volley for a winner.
Azarenka breaks.
09:00 AM
Rybakina* 2-2 Azarenka (*denotes next server)
Best shot of the match from Azarenka as she steps in and wrong-foots Rybakina with a backhand winner, 40-15.
Big first serve by Azarenka and Rybakina fails to make the return.
Azarenka looks sharp and soaking up the power.
08:56 AM
Rybakina 2-1 Azarenka* (*denotes next server)
Wow! 135km/h backhand winner from Rybakina, 15-0. Azarenka is trying to go toe-to-toe with Rybakina but hasn't found her range yet.
A forehand winner by Rybakina maintains her confident start.
08:53 AM
Rybakina* 1-1 Azarenka (*denotes next server)
A feature of the match will be whether Azarenka can withstand the big groundstrokes of Rybakina.
A puff of the cheeks from Azarenka after Rybakina blasts a forehand winner into the corner, 15-15. Deep backhand return by Rybakina and Azarenka nets, 30-30.
Extra pace and power from Rybakina rushes Azarenka and draws an error, deuce.
First ace of the match from Azarenka. And the Belarusian holds when Rybakina's forehand goes wide.
08:48 AM
First set: Elena Rybakina 1-0 Victoria Azarenka* (*denotes next server)
Nerves from Rybakina? She doubles faults on the opening point. Back-to-back aces make it 40-15.
And a third ace allows Rybakina to hold. The crowd seem very impressed.
08:45 AM
Coin toss
Rybakina won the toss and will serve first. She will want to lay down a marker early on.
08:40 AM
Here we go!
Azarenka, with her PSG short, comes onto the court first followed by Rybakina. A warm reception for both.
A place in Saturday's final is at stake!
08:34 AM
If you were wondering why Azarenka has been wearing a PSG shirt...
08:26 AM
Rybakina on her powerful serve
08:06 AM
Elsewhere in Melbourne...
Tennis Australia has warned Novak Djokovic and his family not to promote political causes after Djokovic's father Srdjan was seen on video posing with pro-Putin demonstrators at Melbourne Park.
The tournament was disrupted on Wednesday night by pro-Russian demonstrators who chanted "Russia, Serbia, Russia, Serbia" and held up a flag emblazoned with Putin's face.
A video posted on YouTube shows Srdjan with the ringleader of the group on the steps of Rod Laver Arena, shortly after his son Novak had defeated Russia's Andrey Rublev in straight sets.
Read more here.
07:51 AM
Azarenka on Rybakina
07:40 AM
Women's semi-final day
Hello and welcome to coverage of the first women's semi-final of the Australian Open between Elena Rybakina and Victoria Azarenka.
It promises to be a big-hitting showdown between two women who refuses to concede ground to their opponents.
Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion has beaten world number one Iga Swiatek and Jelena Ostapenko on her way to the last four and has the tools to reach another grand slam final.
"I think of course I got all the experience at Wimbledon and it's helping me now this time here in Australia and I know what to expect," she said.
"I already did it once and of course I got confident that I can do it again. I did really good preparation with the team. I'm not really surprised with the results. I'm happy. I'm just hungry to work and improve more."
On the other side of the net is Azarenka, a two-time champion in Melbourne. Azarenka said dealing with feelings of anxiety had been crucial to her resurgence, with the 24th seed reaching just her second semi-final at any grand slam since 2016.
"I don't think you recognise it right away," she said. "I think it builds up until you hit a pretty bad spot where nothing kind of makes sense. You feel kind of lost.
"I was at the point where I couldn't find anything that I feel good about myself, not even one sentence. I broke a few rackets after my match in Ostrava (in October). That was a very tough moment for me.
"From then, I tried to take it more simple. I started with not trying to be positive, just trying to be neutral, not to go negative. Accepting the anxiety that I have. Accepting the fear that I have. Kind of working through it. That was step by step. I kept trying to go a little step forward, another challenge, another step forward."
