Elena Rybakina Ends Sabalenka's Australian Open Reign with Thrilling Three-Set Victory

Elena Rybakina produced a stunning performance under the closed roof at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday to defeat defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 and win the 2026 Australian Open women's singles title. The thrilling two-hour-18-minute final marked Rybakina's second career Grand Slam title and made her the first Kazakhstani woman to lift the Australian Open trophy. The victory also ended Sabalenka's bid to become the first woman to win three consecutive Australian Open titles since Martina Hingis achieved the feat from 1997-1999.

The match was a rematch of the 2023 Australian Open final, which Sabalenka won in straight sets. This time, Rybakina reversed the script with a resilient display that showcased her powerful serve and groundstrokes. The Kazakhstani broke Sabalenka's serve twice in the opening set while holding her own service games with authority, taking the first set 6-4. Sabalenka fought back in the second set, raising her aggression levels and capitalizing on a brief dip in Rybakina's consistency to level the match at one set apiece.

The deciding set became a battle of nerves and momentum swings. Both players held serve until the ninth game, when Rybakina broke Sabalenka at a crucial moment to lead 5-4. Serving for the championship, Rybakina saved two break points before sealing the victory with a powerful ace down the middle, collapsing to the court in celebration as the crowd erupted. The final statistics showed Rybakina hit 12 aces compared to Sabalenka's eight and won 74% of her first-serve points.

Rybakina's triumph adds to her 2022 Wimbledon title and continues her rise among the elite of women's tennis. The 27-year-old has now reached at least the quarterfinals in her last six Grand Slam appearances, demonstrating remarkable consistency at the sport's biggest events. Her ability to perform under pressure and execute her aggressive baseline game against the world's best players has established her as one of the most dangerous opponents in women's tennis.

For Sabalenka, the loss was a heartbreaking end to a fortnight where she had looked nearly invincible. The Belarusian had dropped only one set en route to the final and was seeking to join an exclusive group of champions with three consecutive Australian Open titles. Despite the defeat, Sabalenka's graciousness in defeat and her dominant run through the draw confirmed her status as one of the sport's premier hard-court players. The rivalry between these two power hitters promises to be one of the defining storylines of women's tennis in 2026.

The Australian Open victory propels Rybakina into championship contention for the remainder of the season. With her game perfectly suited to fast surfaces and her mental fortitude proven in the biggest moments, she enters the North American hard-court season and eventual grass-court swing as one of the favorites. Tennis fans worldwide can look forward to more memorable battles between Rybakina and Sabalenka as the year unfolds, with both champions determined to add more Grand Slam titles to their collections.