MELBOURNE, Jan 31 – Aryna Sabalenka faces another wave of disappointment at the Australian Open after two straight years of success. The world number one suffered a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 defeat to Elena Rybakina in the final, allowing the Russia-born Kazakh player to claim her second Grand Slam title and reverse her loss from the 2023 championship.
The Turning Point in the Final
Sabalenka appeared poised for victory, holding a 3-0 advantage in the decisive third set and dominating the pace early on. However, former Wimbledon champion Rybakina, seeded fifth, broke back in the fifth game and surged ahead to secure the win. This marked Sabalenka’s second major setback against Rybakina in recent months, following her defeat in the WTA Finals, and her third loss in the last four Grand Slam finals, including a straight-sets defeat to Coco Gauff at the French Open last year.
Entering the final undefeated in sets throughout the tournament, Sabalenka boasted an impressive record of 46 wins in 48 hardcourt Grand Slam matches. Yet Rybakina’s powerful game, which rivals Sabalenka’s own, delivered a significant blow to her reputation on the surface.
Sabalenka’s Post-Match Reflections
In her press conference, Sabalenka expressed frustration over the rapid shift in momentum. “She made some winners. I made a couple of unforced errors,” she said. “Of course, I have regrets. You know, when you lead 3-0 and then it felt like in a few seconds it was 3-4 and I was down with a break. So it was very fast.”
Acknowledging Rybakina’s strong performance, Sabalenka added, “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, maybe again a loser. Hopefully not. We’ll see.”
Despite a rueful laugh during the session, Sabalenka admitted to feeling deeply upset immediately after the match. On court, she covered her face with a towel to hide her emotions before composing herself to congratulate Rybakina, her most frequent rival on the tour. She took solace in the fact that, aside from a few critical errors, Rybakina earned the victory through superior play.
“Even in this final I feel like I played great. I was fighting. I did my best, and today she was a better player,” Sabalenka stated. “So I don’t know. We’ll speak with the team. Now they try to avoid and escape me because they see that it’s not really healthy to be around me right now.”
