Defeating Sabalenka, Rybakina clinches the 2026 Australian Open title

This year’s women’s singles final featured a showdown between the two strongest players currently in the world. Both entered the match undefeated in sets throughout the earlier rounds.

Rybakina started very strong, gaining an early 2 - 0 lead in the first set. Afterwards, world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka fought back vigorously to reclaim the lost service game.

However, the fifth seed Rybakina managed to neutralize Sabalenka’s attacks and won the opening set 6 - 4.

In the second set, the world No.1 surged powerfully in the initial games.

The Belarusian player then successfully broke serve in the decisive game to take the set 6 - 4, leveling the match at 1 - 1.

The final set saw an intense back-and-forth battle. Sabalenka quickly took a 3 - 0 lead. Yet, the Russian-born Kazakhstani player made an impressive comeback, one of the greatest in her career, winning five consecutive games to lead 5 - 3 before closing the set at 6 - 4. Rybakina finished the final with a 2 - 1 victory (6-4, 4-6, 6-4).

This marks Rybakina’s first championship title on Australian soil.

The 2026 Australian Open title is Rybakina’s second Grand Slam victory since her success at Wimbledon in 2022.

This triumph further confirms Rybakina as the highest-performing player in women’s tennis currently. The 26-year-old’s second Grand Slam trophy follows her closing of last season by winning the WTA Finals, where she decisively defeated Sabalenka in the final. As recently as July, Rybakina was struggling outside the Top 10, but these two titles have solidified her elite status, bringing her back to a career-high world No. 3 ranking.

Meanwhile, in her fourth consecutive Australian Open final, Sabalenka suffered her second straight loss in the championship match. Once again, the Belarusian player wiped away tears on the Rod Laver Arena, repeating a similar heartbreak to her defeat by Madison Keys in last year’s final.