{"id":362576,"date":"2024-01-25T11:06:32","date_gmt":"2024-01-25T12:06:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=362576"},"modified":"2024-01-25T14:02:33","modified_gmt":"2024-01-25T14:02:33","slug":"compassionate-move-by-world-no-2-sums-up-flawless-semi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=362576","title":{"rendered":"'Compassionate' move by world No.2 sums up flawless semi"},"content":{"rendered":"

Aryna Sabalenka<\/a> has signed two of her prized playing towels to be auctioned off for women and children affected by domestic violence, in a heartwarming gesture after a scintillating straight sets Australian Open<\/a> semi final victory.\ufeff<\/p>\n

The world No.2 overcame her biggest test so far<\/a>, defeating US teen sensation Coco Gauff<\/a> 7-6 (2), 6-4 to advance her her second consecutive Australian Open final.<\/p>\n

But it wasn't just her commanding tennis that had the crowd in awe.\ufeff<\/p>\n

FOLLOW LIVE:<\/strong> Australian Open 2024 day 12<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> 'Freakish' BBL star hailed for 'best catch I've ever seen'<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Ricciardo stuck in awkward 'worst ever' name change<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Instead, it was Sabalenka's signature on \ufeffher playing towels that proved just how good a person she is.<\/p>\n

Nine's Jelena Dokic asked Sabalenka, who is yet to lose a set this tournament, if she'd been keen to pass on some more towels, but this time, for a special cause via auction.<\/p>\n

\"Aryna<\/p>\n

"After you won your last match, I asked you … You want to give me another (towel). I will ask you this first. You gave me a towel, they're precious, everyone wants one," Dokic said post match on Nine.<\/p>\n

"I said you're winning so much, you probably have about 20 in your hotel room. You gave me one, which you were so kind to give me.<\/p>\n

Watch the 2024 Australian Open live and exclusive on Nine,<\/strong><\/em> 9Now<\/strong><\/em><\/a> and ad-free on<\/strong><\/em> Stan Sport<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

"What I want to get to do, if you're okay with it, can you sign it, because then we will auction it off for kids and women affected by domestic violence. Is that okay?"<\/p>\n

The 25-year-old didn't hesitate and signed both towels, met with cheers from the crowd in support.\ufeff<\/p>\n

\"Jelena<\/p>\n

"That's why we love you. You are such a fierce competitor on the court. I don't think that people know just how kind and compassionate and giving you are," Dokic said.<\/p>\n

"Thank you. Thank you for what you do for women's sport as well.\ufeff"<\/p>\n

The 25-year-old was tested early by Gauff, who forced the pair in to a first set tiebreaker, which\ufeff Sabalenka eventually won 7-2.<\/p>\n

"She held her nerve, able to hold her serve to finish it off," JIm Courier said on Nine.<\/p>\n

\"Sabalenka<\/p>\n

It was a bigger win than just to reach the Australian Open final\ufeff, with Sabalenka inflicting "revenge" on the 19-year-old America, after her shock US Open loss last year.<\/p>\n

"No animosity between these two champions, but there was certainly revenge on the mind of Sabalenka after that US Open loss (to Gauff in 2023)\ufeff," Courier said.<\/p>\n

Sabalenka will now face the winner of Zheng and Yastremska's battle in the Australian open women's final.\ufeff<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Aryna Sabalenka has signed two of her prized playing towels to be auctioned off for women and children affected by domestic violence, in a heartwarming […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":362578,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/362576"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=362576"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/362576\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":362586,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/362576\/revisions\/362586"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/362578"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=362576"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=362576"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=362576"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}