Aryna Sabalenka has ended her Grand Slam title drought by ousting Elena Rybakina 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, in a gripping encounter to win the Australian Open.
In a battle of the heavy hitters, Sabalenka sealed the biggest title of her career with the help of 51 winners and 17 aces. Her win extends her perfect head-to-head record against Rybakina to 4-0 and she is now on an 11-match winning streak since the start of the year. Making Sabalenka only the third woman in the 21st century to start a season with 10 or more wins. The other two were Anna Smashnova in 2002 and Agnieszka Radwanska in 2013. On Monday, the new champion will rise back up the rankings to no.2 in the world for the first time since February.
“I want to say sorry for my English as I am still shaking and am super nervous,” Sabalenka said during the trophy ceremony.
“I want to congratulate Elena [Rybakina] for an incredible two weeks. You are such a great player. I hope we have many more battles and hopefully in finals of Grand Slams. Congratulations to your team. You guys are amazing and have done such a good job.”
Coming into the final, reigning Wimbledon champion Rybakina had lost all three of her previous encounters against Sabalenka. However, in their most prestigious meeting, she got off to the perfect start in the third game. Fighting back from 0-40, she won five points in a row to break for a 2-1 lead. Matching her opponent’s powerful shot-making, the Kazkh held her next two service games before the Belarussian came fighting back.
Sabalenka, who was playing in her first major final, gave herself some hope with the help of a winning backhand passing shot that enabled her to break back and level at 4-4. However, her powerful hitting proved to be as much of a hindrance as an advantage. Deciding to hit her second serve as hard as possible, she produced five double faults. One of which enabled Rybakina to restore her lead to 5-4. Back in pole position once again, Rybakina worked her way to three set points with the help of a Sabalenka error. She then closed the opener out with a serve down the centre of the court which her opponent returned into the net.
Despite suffering the blow, a fiery Sabalenka refused to back down as she raced through the second set to level. Drawing errors from her opponent, she stormed to a 4-1 lead and then had two break points to nudge ahead 5-1 but failed to convert them. Two games later she also saw a duo of set point opportunities come and go as her frustration began to grow. Eventually, she snatched the second frame with the help of a second serve ace in the ninth game.
With a maiden Australian Open trophy at stake for both players, the decider was a tense encounter that electrified the Melbourne crowd. In the seventh game, Sabalenka wore a gutsy Rybakina down with a blistering return that almost floored her opponent, followed by a smash at the net which gifted her the critical break for 4-3. Serving for the title, Sabalenka failed to capitalise on three match points before prevailing on her fourth after a Rybakina forehand landed beyond the baseline.
There is a silver lining for Rybakina who will break into the world’s top 10 on Monday to become the first player representing Kazakhstan to do so. She has now reached the final in two out of the last three major tournaments. Prior to her loss against Sabalenka, she defeated three Grand Slam champions which hasn’t been achieved at Melbourne Park since 2001.
“I would like to congratulate Aryna on the title and a great start to the season. I know how hard you have worked for that and your team,” said Rybakina.
“I want to say a big thank you to my team for the great job we have done; to my family, coach and president of the Kazakhstan Federation, thank you so much for the support.”
“It was a good year for me (at the Australian Open) and hopefully next year I am going to have the same result and (do) even better.”
Meanwhile, Sabalenka paid tribute to her team who she describes as the ‘craziest’ on Tour. She is coached by Anton Dubrov who is a former hitting partner of hers. In recent months she has also worked with a biomechanics expert to help address issues with her serve.
“My team – the craziest team on tour,” she said with a smile. “We’ve been through a lot of downs last year. We worked so hard and you guys deserve this trophy. This is more about you than about me. Thank you so much for everything you do for me. I love you guys.”
“Thank you for an amazing atmosphere. I hope next year I can come back stronger, can show you even better tennis and you guys will support me once more.”
Sabalenka has become the 29th woman in the Open Era to win the Australian Open.
