Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek are clear favorites to win their respective semi-finals Thursday and set up a blockbuster Australian Open title decider.
The men's finalists at Melbourne Park will be decided Friday, leaving the women in the spotlight in a night-time double-header at Rod Laver Arena.
First up at 7:30pm (0830 GMT, 2:30pm Bangladesh time) will be the world No 1 and defending champion Sabalenka against Spain's 11th seed Paula Badosa, followed on to the center court by five-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek against Madison Keys.
Sabalenka can become the first woman since Martina Hingis in 1999 to win the Australian Open three years in a row.
If she does, she will join a select group of five women who have completed the Melbourne three-peat.
The others are Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong, Steffi Graf and Monica Seles.
"I'm really happy that I put myself in this situation where I have the opportunity to become one of them," said the 26-year old Belarusian.
"To be next to those names, wow, that's just a dream."
Badosa stunned world No 3 Coco Gauff in straight sets to reach her maiden Grand Slam semi-final at the age of 27.
"She's a great player and she has been through a lot. Now she's back on her best game. I'm really happy to see that," said Sabalenka.
The Spaniard almost quit tennis last year because of a chronic back condition and she plunged outside the top 100.
"A year ago I didn't know if I had to retire from this sport," said Badosa, who reached a career-high two in the world in 2022.
She is projected to get back in the top 10 after Melbourne.
Poland's Swiatek has been the dominant force in the women's draw so far, matching her previous best Australian Open run from 2022, when she lost to Danielle Collins in the last four.
The world No 2 has dropped only 14 games so far in her five matches - seven of those in her first-round clash.
She has exuded an air of calmness and confidence as she aims not only to win a maiden Australian Open title but also retake the No 1 ranking from Sabalenka.
If the Belarusian fails to make the final, Swiatek will again rise to the top.
Should Swiatek and Sabalenka meet in the final, the winner would leave Australia with the No 1 ranking.
Swiatek must first get past 19th seed Keys.
The American is into the Melbourne semi-finals for the third time, 10 years after her first, and on a career-best 10-match win streak after clinching the Adelaide title this month.
"Madison is a great player and experienced so you never know," Swiatek said.
"It will be tricky, I will just be focused on myself. She has already played a good tournament here and we are well aware of how she can play."
The 29-year old Keys says she is a "smarter" player than the one who lost the semi-final in 2015 to eventual champion Serena Williams.
She added: "Probably a little bit less fearless though, but to be here 10 years later in the semi-finals again, I'm really proud of myself."
SEMI-FINAL PATHS
Aryna Sabalenka (BLR x1) v Paula Badosa (ESP x11)
Sabalenka
1st rd: bt Sloane Stephens (USA) 6-3, 6-2
2nd rd: bt Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (ESP) 6-3, 7-5
3rd rd: bt Clara Tauson (DEN) 7-6 (7/5), 6-4
4th rd: bt Mirra Andreeva (RUS x14) 6-1, 6-2
QF: bt Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS x27) 6-2, 2-6, 6-3
Badosa
1st rd: bt Wang Xinyu (CHN) 6-3, 7-6 (7/5)
2nd rd: bt Talia Gibson (AUS) 6-1, 6-0
3rd rd: bt Marta Kostyuk (UKR x17) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
4th rd: bt Olga Danilovic (SRB) 6-1, 7-6 (7/2)
QF: bt Coco Gauff (USA x3) 7-5, 6-4
Madison Keys (USA x19) v Iga Swiatek (POL x2)
Keys
1st rd: bt Ann Li (USA) 6-4, 7-5
2nd rd: bt Gabriela Ruse (ROM) 7-6 (7/1), 2-6, 7-5
3rd rd: bt Danielle Collins (USA x10) 6-4, 6-4
4th rd: bt Elena Rybakina (KAZ x6) 6-3, 1-6, 6-3
QF: bt Elina Svitolina (UKR x28) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
Swiatek
1st rd: bt Katerina Siniakova (CZE) 6-3, 6-4
2nd rd: bt Rebecca Sramkova (SVK) 6-0, 6-2
3rd rd: bt Emma Raducanu (GBR) 6-1, 6-0
4th rd: bt Eva Lys (GER) 6-0, 6-1
QF: bt Emma Navarro (USA x8) 6-1, 6-2
