UPDATE 1-Tennis-Rybakina overpowers Sabalenka to win first Australian Open title

A wayward forehand from Rybakina handed Sabalenka the chance to level at one set apiece, ⁠and the Belarusian gleefully took it to turn the final set into a shootout destined to be decided by whichever player held their nerves. Having beaten ⁠Rybakina from a similar situation in the 2023 title clash, Sabalenka unleashed a flurry ⁠of winners to ‌go ahead 3-0, but the Kazakh erased the deficit and broke for 4-3 before securing the victory to add to her ⁠2022 Wimbledon triumph.

Elena Rybakina produced a thunderous display to dismantle Aryna Sabalenka 6-4 4-6 6-4 on ‌Saturday and capture a maiden Australian Open title, turning the tables on the world number one in their Melbourne Park ⁠final rematch from three years ago.

In the first Grand Slam final since 2008 featuring players yet to drop a set, it was top seed Sabalenka who blinked ​first under the Rod Laver Arena roof as Rybakina came out all guns ‍blazing to break in the opening game and wrest control. The Kazakh fifth seed's huge ball-striking caused all sorts of problems for twice champion Sabalenka, as she comfortably got to set point in ⁠the ‌10th game and finished ⁠it off to send alarm bells ringing in her opponent's dugout.

Having arrived with 46 hardcourt Grand ‍Slam match wins from the last 48, four-times major winner Sabalenka found her groove and ​started the second set more positively, but Rybakina saved three breakpoints to ⁠hold for 1-1. A wayward forehand from Rybakina handed Sabalenka the chance to level at one set apiece, ⁠and the Belarusian gleefully took it to turn the final set into a shootout destined to be decided by whichever player held their nerves.

Having beaten ⁠Rybakina from a similar situation in the 2023 title clash, Sabalenka unleashed a flurry ⁠of winners to ‌go ahead 3-0, but the Kazakh erased the deficit and broke for 4-3 before securing the victory to add to her ⁠2022 Wimbledon triumph.

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