One of the semifinals at the 2026 Australian Open will feature top seed Aryna Sabalenka going up against 12th-seeded Elina Svitolina. This will be the seventh meeting between the players, with Sabalenka having won five of the previous six matches against the Ukrainian.
Sabalenka and Svitolina are two of the most in-form WTA players in 2026.
Both won preparatory events in Brisbane and Auckland, respectively, coming into their Melbourne clash with a perfect 10-0 record for the year. This is where the role of the teams behind both players is of importance, and therefore, let’s take a look at the teams of the players at the 2026 Australian Open.
Aryna Sabalenka’s Box At Australian Open 2026
Aryna Sabalenka started to work with Anton Dubrov at the beginning of the 2020 season. In the initial years of working with Dubrov, the Belarusian won Tour-level titles, including WTA 1000 titles, but often faltered at Grand Slams.
However, since the 2023 Australian Open, Sabalenka has been the most dominant force on the Tour, winning four Major titles from seven finals. Overall, in the last three seasons or so, she has reached 23 finals, winning 12 titles, under the coaching of Dubrov, who is the mainstay in her box.
Other important team members for Sabalenka include her longtime fitness trainer, Jason Stacy, who has been the man behind the scenes, working closely with the World No. 1, making her the physical presence on court that she is. She also added former doubles champion and fellow Belarusian Max Mirnyi to her team last year, and her hitting partner, Andrei Vasilevski, is a regular feature in her box in Melbourne.
Another key highlight of Sabalenka’s box is her boyfriend, Gergios Frangulis. Frangulis is a Brazilian businessman who has been dating the World No.1 since mid 2024. The two met, as Sabalenka was appointed as the Brand ambassador for Oakberry, Frangulis’s brand.
Elina Svitolina’s Box At The Australian Open
The main figure in Elina Svitolina’s box at the Australian Open is her coach, Andrew Bettles. This is the second coaching stint between Svitolina and Bettles, having previously worked together from 2018-2021, which saw the Ukrainian win seven titles from eight finals, including the 2018 WTA Finals.
The two of them rejoined forces in 2025, and the move has worked for Svitolina so far, as her shift to aggressive tactics on court has seen her win the title in Auckland and reach the semifinal of the Australian Open for the first time.
Svitolina’s recovery team, which includes her trainer and physiotherapist, has been a critical cog of her team as well. While they are not well known, their work with the Ukrainian has been stupendous, as she looked in terrific shape while playing under scorching heat in Melbourne.
Last but not least, Svitolina’s husband, Gaël Monfils, has been a constant presence in her box. The Frenchman is having his farewell season in 2026 and was knocked out in the first round in Melbourne, losing to Dane Sweeney. However, since then, he has been in Svitolina’s box in every match, cheering her on.
