Elena Rybakina fights back to win maiden Australian Open title

The Kazakh fifth seed looked in control early, using her powerful serve and aggressive groundstrokes to take the opening set. She handled the pressure well, saving break points and finishing strongly to move ahead in the match.

Sabalenka, however, responded in the second set. The top seed improved her returning and began to dominate rallies, eventually breaking Rybakina late in the set to level the match and force a decider.

Momentum stayed with Sabalenka at the start of the third set as she raced into a 3-0 lead, putting Rybakina under serious pressure. But Rybakina refused to fade. She steadied her serve, attacked more confidently from the baseline and slowly turned the match around.

From 0-3 down, Rybakina won six of the next seven games, overpowering Sabalenka in key rallies and serving superbly under pressure. She sealed victory in style with a powerful ace, ending a long wait for her second Grand Slam title after her Wimbledon triumph in 2022.

The win confirmed Rybakina's strong recent form. She also beat Sabalenka in last season's WTA Finals and has now climbed back among the very top players in women's tennis.

For Sabalenka, it was a frustrating finish after a dominant run to the final, but Rybakina's calm under pressure and big-match hitting proved decisive on the night.

READ MORE: Charl Schwartzel raring to go in 2026 LIV Golf campaign