Elena Rybakina suppressed her feelings in order to get revenge on world number one Aryna Sabalenka and won her second Grand Slam championship on Saturday at the Australian Open.
At Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, the big-serving fifth seed from Kazakhstan overcame a 0-3 deficit to win 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in two hours and eighteen minutes. It was revenge served cold after the Belarusian Sabalenka defeated two of the hardest hitters in women’s tennis in the 2023 final.
The 26-year-old Moscow native Rybakina adds the Melbourne title to her 2022 Wimbledon victory. Although Rybakina is known for being unflappable, she admitted that she was anxious when she lost the second set, even though she didn’t show it, and once more when she served for the match. With her sixth ace of the final, she won the title.
“Well, the heart definitely was beating too fast, even if maybe my face did not show it. Inside was a lot of emotions,” AFP quoted her telling local broadcasters.
For Sabalenka, who won the US Open for the second time last year but lost the French Open and Melbourne championship deciders, it was further disappointment in a major final. Up to this point, she had been imperious as she advanced to her fourth consecutive Australian Open final. At the end, the 27-year-old top seed covered her head with a towel to hide her tears and feelings.
“Let’s hope maybe next year will be a better year for me. She played an incredible match and I tried my very best. I was fighting until the very last point,” Sabalenka said ruefully.
With drizzle forcing the roof shut in Melbourne, Rybakina struck early, breaking serve straight away before holding comfortably to race to a 2-0 lead. Tested at 4-3 with two break points against her, Rybakina responded in style — rediscovering her range to fire down an ace and escape the danger, as a visibly frustrated Sabalenka looked on.
When Sabalenka shot long on her first set point, Rybakina looked in the zone and finished the set in 37 minutes. Amazingly, it was Sabalenka’s first set loss of 2026.
In a grueling 10-minute passage of power tennis, Rybakina saved three break points in the second game of the second set. They chose to serve, and after the best rally of a cagey match, Sabalenka held for 4-3 in the seventh game, which was another tussle.
The match was brutally leveled at the first opportunity to demand a decisive set as the intensity increased and the top seed swiftly created three set points at 5-4 on the Kazakh’s serve. Now in control, Sabalenka broke for a 2-0 lead with a scorching backhand before holding for 3-0.
Rybakina, who had also advanced to the final without losing a set, appeared abnormally agitated. She gave herself a small smile as she wrestled back the break after resetting to hold. The title was in danger of swinging either way at 3-3. However, a rampaging Rybakina broke for 4-3 after winning four straight games, then held to put an exciting triumph in sight.
Although Rybakina has been one of the top players on the women’s tour lately, Sabalenka entered the final as the favorite. At the season-ending WTA Finals, she also triumphed over Sabalenka in the decisive.
Relief and hope that she can maintain her brilliant form for the remainder of the season, according to Rybakina, were her main feelings.
“It gives a lot confidence for sure. Last year I didn’t start that well… now it’s different. So I just hope that I can carry all this momentum and hopefully do a good job with the team and continue this way throughout the year,” she said.
