'What is wrong with you?': Aryna Sabalenka says umpire's hindrance call made her step it up a gear

Aryna Sabalenka admits a rare hindrance call motivated her even more during a dominant 6-2, 6-3 Australian Open semi-final win against Elina Svitolina.

Early in the first set when she was leading 2-1, the umpire called hindrance against Sabalenka for her grunting.

Sabalenka blew up before her team suggested she should review it.

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She did just that but the review was never going to work because it was the umpire conducting it.

Sabalenka even realised that because she gestured to the umpire "who's going to decide?".

Jelena Dokic did admit "you do have to be careful" with how long you grunt for after a shot.

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The umpire stood with the decision and said Sabalenka doesn't do the "normal sound".

The world No.1 had a steely look in her eye after it and finished the match in ruthless fashion.

Post-match, Sabalenka laughed when asked about the call.

"Oh, that's actually never happened to me," she said in her press conference.

"Like, never happened to me, especially with my grunting ... I don't know how to explain it.

"It's just like the ball was deep ... the bounce was wrong, and it was just like the timing. I was excelling, and it just happened naturally. Then she called it, and I was, like, what? What is wrong with you?

"I mean, I think it was the wrong call, but whatever. She really - how do I say this in a nice way? She really pissed me off, and it's actually helped me and benefited my game. I was more aggressive. I was not happy with the call, and it really helped me to get that game.

"So if she ever want to do it again, I want to make sure that she's not afraid of it. Go ahead, call it. It's going to help me."

That lengthy response led to a follow up question on whether those sort of frustrating calls help her in most situations.

"I don't know. I think today specifically it helped me. I played better because I was more aggressive, but overall, if it's not in my control, and it wasn't in my control, I asked for the video review, she still made the same call," she said.

"I thought there was another person who is going to make the decision, but it was her, so I knew she's not going to change her decision.

"If it's something not in my control, I don't care about that. I think that's the right approach to these kind of situations."