Elena Rybakina finally had her moment of redemption, getting sweet revenge on Aryna Sabalenka to win her first-ever Australian Open title. Three years earlier, on the same Melbourne Park courts, Elena Rybakina had watched her dream fall apart as Sabalenka stormed back from a set down to snatch the trophy away. On Saturday night, history tried to repeat itself, but this time Rybakina refused to let it happen.
Elena Rybakina Outlasts Aryna Sabalenka To Claim First Melbourne Title
The final followed a hauntingly familiar pattern. Aryna Sabalenka recovered after losing the opening set and slowly pulled herself back into the match. When she raced to a 3-0 lead in the deciding set, the tension inside Rod Laver Arena was thick, and many feared another painful ending for Rybakina. Instead, she dug deep. Drawing strength from past heartbreak, she showed calm, courage, and belief when it mattered most.
After two hours and 18 minutes of gripping tennis, Elena Rybakina sealed a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory in front of a packed crowd. Her serve, one of the most feared weapons on tour, delivered 47 aces across the tournament, and fittingly, the final point came via one last ace. Rybakina celebrated with a mix of disbelief and pure joy.
For Aryna Sabalenka, it was another tough Australian Open final loss following her defeat to Madison Keys last year. For Rybakina, it was sweet vindication, her second Grand Slam title after Wimbledon in 2022 and the most satisfying win of her career.
Elena Rybakina Applies Early Pressure
Elena Rybakina made her intentions clear from the very first game, putting Aryna Sabalenka under immediate pressure in the opening set. She broke serve straight away as the top seed struggled to settle, and that early breakthrough allowed Elena Rybakina to take control. Her forehand was firing with pace and depth, constantly rushing Sabalenka and forcing her into defensive positions.
From the start, Elena Rybakina played bold but controlled tennis, stepping inside the court and taking the ball early. Her flat groundstrokes pushed Sabalenka from corner to corner, drawing frustration from the Belarusian. Although Sabalenka briefly steadied herself with a hold of serve, Rybakina remained composed, moving ahead 3-1 and keeping the pressure firmly on.
The crowd tried to lift Aryna Sabalenka when she earned two break points at 4-3, but Rybakina stayed calm and shut the door. While Sabalenka finished the set with more aces, Elena Rybakina was sharper overall, winning more points on both her first and second serve thanks to smart placement and variety.
What began as forehand dominance soon turned into a strong serving display. After 37 minutes, Rybakina wrapped up the set, echoing the fast start she had made against Sabalenka in their previous Australian Open final meeting. Sabalenka, hoping to claim a third title in Melbourne, looked short of answers against Rybakina’s precision and poise.
Sabalenka Hits Back
Aryna Sabalenka responded in style in the second set, lifting her level after losing the opener. She began more confidently, holding serve with ease and looking far more settled. Early on, she had three break points in a long service game that stretched to six deuces, but once again Rybakina managed to escape through sheer grit.
The biggest difference came on Sabalenka’s serve. She raised her intensity, winning an incredible 95 percent of points on her first delivery and moving quickly through her service games. Her improved second serve also kept Rybakina from stepping in and taking control. Meanwhile, Rybakina’s first serve dipped at crucial moments, slowly shifting the momentum.
Even without an early break, Sabalenka applied constant pressure. Every return game forced Rybakina to work harder, and errors began to creep in. The breakthrough finally came in the 10th game, with Rybakina serving to stay in the set. Sabalenka seized her chance, winning four straight points to claim the set and level the match.
Rybakina Has the Final Say
Sabalenka carried her momentum into the third set, holding comfortably before breaking Rybakina to surge into a 2-0 lead. She then fought off a break point to extend the advantage to 3-0, looking firmly in control of the final.
At that stage, Sabalenka appeared to be dictating play, using her power to push Rybakina deep behind the baseline. But Rybakina refused to fade. She steadied herself with a crucial hold for 3-1, a moment that changed everything. With renewed belief, she broke Sabalenka in the next game to close the gap to 3-2.
Sabalenka had a chance to stop the comeback with a break point soon after, but Rybakina showed incredible composure to save it and level the set at 3-3. From there, the momentum swung completely. After losing the first three games of the set, Rybakina found another gear, winning five straight games with fearless shot-making and ice-cold nerves.
As Rybakina surged ahead, Sabalenka began to lose her rhythm, unable to regain control in the closing moments. The turnaround was complete, and there was no stopping Rybakina as she closed out the match and finally claimed her long-awaited Australian Open crown.
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