Melbourne, Jan 31, 2026
Elena Rybakina dismantled Aryna Sabalenka to capture the Australian Open women’s singles crown, avenging her loss to the Belarusian in the 2023 final, where she won the opening set before falling in three sets.
The 26-year-old Kazakh took two hours and 18 minutes to prevail 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in the championship match, striking 28 winners en route to capturing her maiden Australian Open crown and second Grand Slam title. Rybakina, who was seeking her second Grand Slam title after winning Wimbledon in 2022, hadn’t dropped a set at Melbourne Park until Saturday.
After Rybakina took the first set 6-4, Sabalenka scored a massive break in the final game of the second set to force a third-set decider.
Sabalenka started the final set with a hold and then another pivotal break of Rybakina. The Kazakh seems to be losing strength behind her serve, and only 54% of Rybakina’s first serves have landed. She had a pair of backhand winners to secure the break and 2-0 lead in the third set. She then held serve, sprinting to a 3-0 lead heading into the changeover, WTA reports.
Rybakina put the match back on her serve, breaking Sabalenka for the second time all match to trail 3-2. The world No. 5 then levelled the decider at 3-all. Despite facing a break point in her ensuing service game, she saved it and won the game as Sabalenka’s return sailed long.
The 2025 WTA Finals Riyadh champion then notched her third break of the match as Sabalenka’s forehand went into the net. With a hold of serve to secure a 5-3 advantage and one game away from her second Grand Slam title and her first Australian Open, won the point with an ace to wrap up the win.
Last season, Rybakina failed to progress beyond the fourth round of any Slam and did not reach a final at WTA 1000 level.
Sabalenka has been in imperious touch all fortnight at Melbourne Park, charging into the eighth final from her past 12 Slams courtesy of a 6-2 6-3 semifinal trouncing of 12th-seeded Ukrainian Elina Svitolina. The world No.1 joined Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Martina Hingis as the only women to make four straight AO finals.
Had she won the title on Saturday, Sabalenka would have drawn level with nine other greats, including Maria Sharapova and Hingis — with five majors.(Agency)
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