Elena Rybakina finally found her moment of redemption and exacted sweet revenge on Aryna Sabalenkova to claim her first Australian Open title. Three years ago on the same courts at Melbourne Park, Rybakina watched her dream fade away when Sabalenka returned from filming to break her heart. On Saturday night, fate offered a familiar scenario – but this time Rybakina, to her pain, refused to be a spectator.
The finale unfolded with eerie similarity. Sabalenka calmed down after a shaky opening set and clawed her way back, threatening to turn the contest on its head once more. When she raced to a 3-0 lead in the deciding set, the weight of history was suffocating and the crowd sensed another cruel repeat of 2023. But Rybakina had other plans. Summoning extraordinary courage and composure, she launched a fearless comeback, playing with a determination born of past scars.
After two hours and 18 minutes of nerve-racking tennis, Rybakina won 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in front of a packed Rod Laver Arena. Known for her devastating serve, she hit 47 aces during the tournament and duly sealed the championship with one final ace before collapsing in disbelief and joy.
Elena Rybakina vs Aryna Sabalenkova, Australian Open final main event
It was another crushing Australian Open final defeat for Sabalenko after last year’s loss to Madison Keys. It was vindication for Rybakina – her second Grand Slam title after Wimbledon 2022 and the sweetest victory of her career.
RYBAKINA GIVES SABALENKA TO EARLY PRESSURE
Rybakina delivered a suggestive statement in the opening set against Sabalenka, setting the tone with relentless aggression and composure. The Kazakh couldn’t have asked for a better start, breaking Sabalenko’s serve in the very first game as the familiar jitters from the early games resurfaced. That immediate breakthrough allowed Rybakin to dictate terms, particularly from her forehand wing, where the speed and depth of her strokes repeatedly outpaced Sabalenkova on the baseline.
From the start, Rybakina played with controlled violence, taking the ball early and entering the court to apply sustained pressure. Her flat, powerful forehands pushed Sabalenkova from side to side, forcing defensive cuts and quick recoveries. Although Sabalenkova briefly leveled by holding serve in the third game, Rybakina maintained the intensity and comfortably raced into a 3-1 lead as the Belarusian cut a visibly frustrated figure.
The crowd tried to lift Sabalenko, especially when she won two break points at 4-3, but Rybakina showed impressive composure to fend them off. While she hit two fewer aces than Sabalenkova, Rybakina excelled in other areas. She broke her opponent on both the first and second serves, using clever positioning and masking to blunt Sabalenka’s returns.
What began as forehand dominance gradually evolved into a serving masterclass. After 37 minutes, Rybakina closed out the set, mirroring the strong start she made against Sabalenka in their Australian Open final three years earlier. Chasing a third Melbourne title, Sabalenka looked for answers against Rybakina’s pace, accuracy and possession.
SABALENKA REFLECTS
Aryna Sabalenka scripted a stunning comeback in the second set and responded strongly after dropping the opening game against Elena Rybakin. The set started on an even note for the world number one, who held serve comfortably and looked much more composed than before. The breakthrough almost came in the second game, when Sabalenkova created three break points during a marathon serve that included six deuces. As in the first set, however, she was left frustrated as Rybakina escaped and held serve thanks to sheer resilience.
What really changed was Sabalenka’s delivery. Belarus raised her level dramatically, winning an extraordinary 95 percent of her first serve points and going through her service games with authority. The extra kick on her second serve also proved crucial, denying Rybakin the chance to get in and dictate the plays early. In contrast, Rybakin’s first serve abandoned her at key moments, an uncharacteristic drop that gradually tipped the balance.
Sabalenka was unable to find an early break, but the pressure she exerted was relentless. Each return game forced Rybakina to hit extra balls, leading to errors under increasing pressure. That pressure finally showed in the 10th game, when Rybakina served to hold for the set. Sabalenka pounced, winning four points on the trot to secure the first break of the match – and the set.
RYBAKINA HAS THE LAST LAUGH
Sabalenkova began the third set exactly where she left off in the second, asserting herself with authority. She held serve comfortably before breaking Elena Rybakina again to take a 2-0 lead. In the third game, Sabalenka faced a brief scare when she went down to break point, but her raw power and aggression came to her rescue as she held a 3–0 lead and appeared to be firmly in control of the final.
At that moment, Sabalenka seemed to be at the peak of her powers, dictating the game and pushing Rybakina even more on the back foot. But Rybakina was far from finished. She refused to give up and steadied herself to hold serve for 3–1, a game that proved to be the turning point. Rybakina, playing with renewed belief, broke Sabalenkova in the very next game to claw back to 3–2 and shift the momentum.
Sabalenkova had an immediate opportunity to halt the comeback when she earned a break point in the following game, but Rybakina showed remarkable composure under pressure to save the set at 3–3. The match definitely took a turn from there. Rybakina, who dropped the first three games of the set, found extraordinary determination and reeled off five straight games with fearless shooting and steely nerves.
As Rybakina surged forward, Sabalenka began to unravel in the closing stages, losing her rhythm and struggling to regain control. The momentum had completely shifted and there was no going back as Rybakina finished the match in emphatic fashion.
– The end
Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
January 31, 2026
