Rybakina Stuns Sabalenka To Win 2026 Australian Open Women’s Title

Elena Rybakina produced a powerful performance to defeat world number one Aryna Sabalenka in a thrilling three-set final, clinching the Australian Open women’s singles title at Rod Laver Arena.

The fifth seed battled past the Belarusian star 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to secure her second Grand Slam crown and her first win in Melbourne, adding to her Wimbledon success in 2022.

Rybakina, 26, made an assertive start, breaking Sabalenka in the opening game and closing out the first set in just 37 minutes. Her serving proved crucial at key moments. “Serving at 4-3, the 26-year-old Rybakina saved two break points: the first with an ace, and the second with a 182km/h serve out wide that foiled Sabalenka,” observers noted.

After sealing the opener, Rybakina marked the moment with a restrained fist pump, signalling the intensity of the contest to come. Sabalenka responded with renewed aggression in the second set, levelling the match with a 6-4 win. “Sabalenka certainly hoped so, and was eager to preserve her streak of avoiding straight-sets losses at majors since the 2020 US Open,” match reports highlighted.

The final set delivered drama worthy of the occasion, with both players trading fierce baseline rallies and sharp net play. Rybakina eventually pulled clear, sealing a 6-4 decider after recovering from an early 0-40 deficit at 5-6. She finished the match in style, firing a championship point ace as the crowd erupted.

“It was a battle,” Rybakina said after the match. “I’m really proud. It’s really a Happy Slam.”

Her victory places her among an elite group of players in the Open Era who won their first two major titles on grass and hard courts, joining Amelie Mauresmo, Lindsay Davenport, Maria Sharapova, Martina Hingis and Venus Williams.

She also became the first woman since Naomi Osaka in 2019 to win the Australian Open title after defeating three top 10 opponents in the same tournament.

Rybakina was presented with the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup by former champion Jennifer Capriati and took time to acknowledge her team. “I’m really glad that we achieved this result … hopefully we can keep on going strong this year,” she said.

The sportsmanship between the finalists was evident at the net. “I know it’s tough, but I just hope that we’re going to play many more finals together,” Rybakina said of Sabalenka.

Sabalenka responded: “I want [to] congratulate you on an incredible run, incredible tennis. Let’s hope that next year, Daphne [is] going to be ours, right?”

The final carried added significance as both players reached the championship match without dropping a set, a rare feat not seen at Melbourne Park since 2004. It also marked a rematch of the 2023 Australian Open final, when Sabalenka emerged victorious.

The game played under a closed roof lasted 2 hours and 18 minutes, with Rybakina striking 28 winners.

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