Elena Rybakina became the first player from Kazakhstan to win the Australian Open on Saturday, defeating world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in the final in Melbourne.
Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, didn’t drop a set on her way to the final, capitalizing on her big serve and aggressive groundstrokes. She was down 0-3 in the third set against Sabalenka, but then won five consecutive games and closed out the match with an ace. She raised her arms in triumph and, after a brief embrace with the Belarusian at the net, jogged to her box to acknowledge her team.
“Thank you so much to Kazakhstan,” Rybakina, 26, said in her victory speech, nodding in the direction of a group of fans in the stands. “I felt the support from that corner a lot.”
The world No. 5 had lost to Sabalenka in three sets in the Australian Open Final in 2023. But Russia-born Rybakina defeated the world’s top player to win the WTA Finals in November after a year in which she won two WTA 500 titles but did not advance past the fourth round at any of the majors.
“I just hope that we’re going to play many more finals together,” Rybakina said in Melbourne.
Sabalenka has a head-to-head record of 8-6 over Rybakina.
