Australia Open Final 2026: Elena Rybakina beats Aryna Sabalenka to claim second Grand Slam

New Delhi: Elena Rybakina clinched the Australian Open title on Saturday, defeating top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, avenging her loss to Sabalenka in the 2023 final.

Rybakina started strong by breaking in the opening game and claiming the first set. After dropping the second set and falling 3-0 in the decider, she showed a remarkable comeback, winning five consecutive games and sealing the victory with an ace on her first championship point.

The triumph marked Rybakina’s second Grand Slam title. The fifth seed, who won Wimbledon in 2022, had entered the Australian Open final four years ago as the only major champion in the match.

While Sabalenka went on to claim three more Grand Slam title, which includes back-to-back Australian Open victories and the 2024 and 2025 U.S. Open

From the outset of the match, Rybakina played aggressively, displaying a powerful serve that produced six aces. Apart from conceding two breaks, at the end of the second set and the start of the third, she successfully saved six of the breakpoint opportunities she faced.

Source link