Elena Rybakina won her first Australian Open title after a dramatic three-set victory over world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka, avenging her defeat in the 2023 final. The fifth seed triumphed 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, coming from a break down in the deciding set to secure her second grand slam crown.
Rybakina, 26, had looked to be losing control as Sabalenka imposed herself, but she drew on her inner resilience to produce a stunning recovery. The Kazakhstani player set the tone from the first game and raised her level when Sabalenka went ahead in the final set, finishing the match with a confident service game.
This victory continues a remarkable turnaround for Rybakina, who was outside the top 10 as recently as July. She ended last season by winning the WTA Finals with a similarly commanding win over Sabalenka, and now returns to her career-high ranking of No 3.
Rybakina first broke through at Wimbledon in 2022, but her progress was halted by injury, illness and the suspension of her coach, Stefano Vukov. She has long been respected by rivals and pundits, yet she often failed to perform at the biggest tournaments.
With this win, Rybakina has made clear she intends to regularly compete with the likes of Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff for the biggest titles in tennis. The match was a high-quality end to a women's event that had not seen a three-setter since the fourth round.
