Elena Rybakina produced a composed efficiency to defeat world primary Aryna Sabalenka in a dramatic three-set ultimate and declare her first Australian Open title.
The fifth seed recovered from a 3-0 deficit within the deciding set to safe a 6-4 4-6 6-4 victory, avenging her defeat to Sabalenka within the 2023 ultimate and lifting her second Grand Slam trophy following her Wimbledon success in 2022.
Sabalenka appeared in management after breaking Rybakina early within the third set as she chased a 3rd Australian Open title in 4 years. Nonetheless, momentum shifted because the Belarusian tightened beneath strain, permitting Rybakina to reel off 5 consecutive video games to show the match in her favour.
Rybakina confirmed spectacular composure because the end line approached, closing out the competition with an ace to seal victory. For Sabalenka, the loss marked a 3rd defeat in her previous 4 Grand Slam finals, following earlier disappointments on the Australian Open and French Open final 12 months.
Regardless of Sabalenka’s continued dominance on arduous courts and her 75-week run on the high of the rankings, Rybakina has more and more emerged as a tough opponent for her. The Kazakh has now received seven of their previous 9 conferences on arduous courts.
Rybakina’s path to the title underlined her present kind. She defeated world quantity two Iga Swiatek and sixth seed Jessica Pegula en path to the ultimate and have become the primary participant since Naomi Osaka in 2019 to win the Australian Open by beating three top-10 opponents from the quarter-final stage onwards.
She has now received 10 consecutive matches in opposition to top-10 gamers and boasts extra victories than anybody else on the WTA Tour because the finish of Wimbledon final 12 months, with 38 wins and only one defeat in her previous 21 matches.
