There are only two players left in the Australian Open who have not lost a match this year: Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff. Both players have exceptional talent, but they agree that it’s their mental strength that makes them champions.

During her second-round match, Sabalenka had a moment of realisation, thinking to herself, “Oh, my God, I’m really tough.” After the match, she told reporters, “I’ve had a lot of struggles over the years. I think all those challenges have made me really tough.”

Coco Gauff, on the other hand, has learned to focus on the process rather than the result. She reflected on her two Grand Slam finals – the 2022 French Open and the 2023 US Open – explaining, “In the first final, I felt close to winning, and that made me nervous. In the second final, it felt further away, so I played more freely.”

Both Sabalenka, who is ranked No.1, and Gauff, ranked No.3, are still unbeaten in 2023, with 8 wins each and no sets lost in Melbourne. Sabalenka has dropped 23 games, while Gauff has lost 20, and they could be on track to meet in the semi-finals.