(January 31, 2026) No. 5 Elena Rybakina rallied from 3-0 down in the deciding set to defeat No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the final of the Australian Open 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 on Saturday. For the Kazakh, it’s her second major title, she won Wimbledon in 2022. Rybakina lost in the Australian Open final in 2023 to the Belarusian, so she exacted some revenge.
“The heart rate was definitely beating too fast. Even maybe (my) face didn’t show, but inside it was a lot of emotions,” the 26-year-old Rybakina said.
The low-key Rybakina, who began last year with her coach being suspended, ended last year by winning the WTA Year End championship. She is a native of Moscow but represents Kazakhstan.
She paid tribute to her coach, Stefano Vukov. “Of course I would like to thank my team,” she said after the match. “Without you it wouldn’t have been possible. Really. We had a lot of things going on (last year). Thank you to all of you, and hopefully we can keep on going strong this year.
“It’s a win for all the team, all the people who support me,” she said. “I just hope that I can carry this moment throughout the whole season and keep on improving.”
She began the match by breaking serve and ended the match by winning five out of the last six games to clinch the title.
“It gives me a kind of relief,” she said, “also, a lot of confidence for sure for the rest of the season.”
For No. 1 Sabalenka, she has lost the last two Australian Open finals.
“Of course, I have regrets. When you lead 3-Love and then it felt like in few seconds it was 3-4, and I was down with a break — it was very fast,” she said. “Great tennis from her. Maybe not so smart for me.
“But as I say, today I’m a loser, maybe tomorrow I’m a winner. Hopefully I’ll be more of a winner this season than a loser. Hoping right now and praying.”
“It’s hard to find words now,” Rybakina said during the trophy presentation. “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.”
“I love being here, I love playing in front of you all,” Sabalenka said during the trophy presentation. “You guys are incredible support. I’m always looking forward to coming and playing in front of you, and well, let’s hope maybe next year is going to be a better year for me.”
Rybakina beat the Top 2 players on the WTA rankings to get there, No. 2-ranked Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals, 7-5, 6-1, and No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in the final.
Rybakina became just the fourth woman ever to defeat both of the Top 2 players en route to an Australian Open title, since official WTA rankings began in 1975.
Jennifer Capriati who was the first woman to achieve the feat in 2001, was on hand to present the trophy.
“It’s hard to find words but I want to congratulate Aryna for amazing results for a couple of years,” said Rybakina. “I know it’s tough, but I hope we’re going to play many more finals together.”
“It was a battle,” said Rybakina. “I’m really proud.”
“It’s really a Happy Slam.”
“Trust yourself, trust yourself, believe in yourself,” her team frequently relayed.
“I always believed that I can come back to the level I was. Of course, we all have ups and downs,” she said.
“Like I think everyone thought or maybe I will never be again in the final or even get a trophy, but it’s all about the work.
“I think we’ve been putting a lot of work in with the team, and they were also very supportive. In the moments when I was maybe not that positive, they would be helping out on the side.
“Of course, when you are getting some wins, big wins against top players, then you start to believe more, you get more confident. That was the kind of way.”
Her ninth win against a world No.1 was also her 20th win from her past 20 tour-level matches.
Big title in the bag, further Slams and the world No.1 ranking were now well in the equation.
Four years on from her Wimbledon breakthrough, this was a decidedly less stressful ordeal.
“I think with the experience, with the years on tour, I learned a lot,” Rybakina said.
“Later on, of course, you have the same emotions. You want to win, but it’s kind of different.”
Rybakina is 10-0 in her last 10 matches against Top 10 players, and she’ll return to No. 3 in the rankings on Monday.
