Spirited Elena Rybakina Overpowers Aryna Sabalenka In Convincing Style, World No. 5 Clinches Maiden Australian Open Title

Australian Open 2026: World No. 5 Elena Rybakina showcased a dominant performance in the women's singles final, outclassing Aryna Sabalenka to clinch her maiden Australian Open title on Saturday, January 31.

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Elena Rybakina Prevails Over Aryna Sabalenka In Final

Rybakina won her maiden Australian Open title after convincingly thrashing Sabalenka at the Rod Laver Arena. The Kazakh tennis player clinched her second Grand Slam title after beating Sabalenka 4-6, 6-4, 4-6. The three-set encounter lasted for two hours and 18 minutes.

Rybakina also took revenge for her defeat to the World No. 1 in the Australian Open 2026 final. Earlier, in 2023, the 26-year-old suffered a defeat in a three-set fight.

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Rybakina Dominates Sabalenka In Three-Set Thriller

The Kazakh had a great start to the game after winning the first set. The World No. 1 tried to make a comeback in the beginning, but Rybakina didn't give her a chance. The 26-year-old clinched the first set 4-6. However, Rybakina lost momentum in the second set as Sabalenka made a comeback with a 6-4 win. But the Kazakh star kept her nerves cool and clinched the third set 4-6. Sabalenka tried her best to find rhythm, but the 26-year-old didn't lose control.

After the clinical win in the women's singles final, Rybakina congratulated Sabalenka for her performance in the tournament. She also hoped to play against the World No. 1 in the future.

“It’s hard to find words now. But of course, I want to congratulate Aryna (for) amazing results (the last) couple of years. And I know it’s tough (now), but I just hope that we’re going to play many more finals together,” Rybakina said during the trophy presentation.

Rybakina marched into the finals after beating Jessica Pegula in straight sets in the women's singles semi-final. The Kazakh clinched a 3-6, 6-7 win over Pegula on Thursday, January 29.