Melbourne (Australia).– Kazakh tennis player Elena Rybakina was crowned champion of the Australian Open after defeating the world number one, Aryna Sabalenka, with a score of 6-4, 4-6 and 6-4, in an intense final played at the Rod Laver Arena that lasted for 2 hours and 18 minutes.
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Rybakina showed composure and efficiency in decisive moments, overcoming a complicated start in the final set to impose her strength with her serve and her precision from the baseline. Sabalenka, champion in Melbourne in 2023 and 2024, alternated passages of dominance, but failed to sustain her momentum against the firm response of the Kazakh. The match confirmed the parity between two of the most powerful players on the women’s circuit, being decided by minimal details in the key points. The final also represented a sporting revenge for Rybakina, after falling to Sabalenka in the duel for the title of the 2023 Australian Open. From the start, the match responded to both players’ profiles: powerful serves, short exchanges, and constant changes of initiative. Rybakina took the lead in the first set with an early break, managing the difference with a high percentage of first serves and well-executed flat shots. Sabalenka tried to respond with aggression, although she made unforced errors at key moments. The Belarusian’s reaction came in the second set, when she increased the pressure from the return and took the points to longer exchanges, discomforting her rival. A break in the middle of the set allowed her to even the match and take the definition to a third set loaded with tension. In the decisive set, Sabalenka started strong and went ahead 3-0, supported by her serve and aggressive returns. However, Rybakina remained calm, adjusted her strategy, and regained ground to tie the score. With 5-4 in her favor, she closed the match with two consecutive winning serves that sealed the victory and unleashed the celebration in Melbourne. At 26 years old, Rybakina thus adds her second Grand Slam title, after Wimbledon 2022, and reaffirms her status as a specialist on fast surfaces. Her direct game, serve power and composure under pressure consolidate her as one of the most consistent figures in current women’s tennis. The rivalry with Sabalenka continues to strengthen as one of the most attractive on the circuit, characterized by physical and mental intensity. For the Belarusian, despite the defeat, the final ratifies her consistency in the first Grand Slam of the year and her permanence in the world elite.
