Elena Rybakina from Kazakhstan Clinches Victory at the Australian Open: NPR

MELBOURNE, Australia — Elena Rybakina secured her second Grand Slam title by defeating top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka at the Australian Open on Saturday, showcasing the prowess of understated achievers.

After a tumultuous start to 2025, including her coach’s suspension, Rybakina capped off the previous year with a WTA Finals title in November. Now, she begins the new year with another major victory.

Her modest celebration reflected her composed journey through the tournament: a small fist pump, a brief embrace with Sabalenka, a handshake with the chair umpire, a smile, and a few hand claps on her racket strings, coupled with a wave to the audience.

The match concluded swiftly as Rybakina closed with an ace, winning 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 against a familiar opponent, who had bested her in the final here in 2023.

“My heart was racing. Perhaps my face didn’t show it, but inside, I felt a lot of emotions,” said 26-year-old Rybakina, born in Moscow and representing Kazakhstan, regarding her composed finish.

She recognized the importance of acting swiftly this time, having admitted to feeling tense during her semifinal win over Jessica Pegula, needing almost 30 minutes from her first match point to her match-winning point.

Three years ago, Rybakina won the first set in the Australian final but ultimately lost in three sets.

This time, after breaking in the first game and taking the first set, she bounced back after losing the second set and trailing 3-0 in the third, clinching five consecutive games to regain control.

This victory brings a sense of relief and a confidence boost as Rybakina aims for the rest of the season.

Securing her second major title, she previously won Wimbledon in 2022 and entered the Australian final as a past major champion.

Despite Sabalenka’s success with three additional major wins, including back-to-back titles in Australia and victories at the U.S. Open, Rybakina’s performance had fluctuated until her resounding comeback in this tournament.

Career Transformation

A win against Sabalenka at the WTA Finals shifted her career direction. Since Wimbledon, she has achieved the most match victories on tour and is on a remarkable run of 20 wins in 21 matches.

“Last year started poorly for me,” she noted. “I barely qualified for the WTA Finals. I hope I can continue this momentum with my team and maintain a good performance.”

Rybakina boasts an impressive 10-0 record in her last 10 matches against Top 10 players and is set to return to No. 3 in the rankings.

After parading her trophy around Rod Laver Arena, Kazakhstan’s flag waved proudly on the court.

Coaching Team

She expressed gratitude to her coach, Stefano Vukov, who faced suspension by the women’s tour last year. Vukov was honored with a silver plate from the tournament organizers for being the champion’s coach.

“I must thank my team,” she said. “This achievement wouldn’t have been possible without you. We had a lot going on last year. Thank you all, and let’s keep it up this year.”

“This is a victory for the entire team and everyone who supports me,” she added. “I hope to carry this momentum throughout the season and continue improving.”

Working with Vukov since 2019, she appreciates the continuous technical and tactical insights he shares from his court-side seat. The more, the better, she believes, as it gradually sinks in.

“We’ve secured many titles together,” Rybakina said. “Last year in Ningbo, at the WTA Finals, and now this trophy fill me with pride and gratitude toward my team for their dedication.”

Win some, Lose some

Sabalenka faces back-to-back losses in the Australian final after an upset against Madison Keys last year.

“Of course, I have regrets. Leading 3-0, and then within moments it was 3-4, and I found myself down with a break — it happened too quickly,” she said. “Kudos to her. Maybe not the smartest play from me.”

“But as I always say, today I’m a loser; tomorrow I could be a winner. Hopefully, I will end up as a winner more often than not this season.”

Rybakina opened aggressively, showcasing a robust serve with six aces, and apart from two breaks just before the second set ended and at the start of the third, she tackled every breakpoint chance successfully.

While Sabalenka’s emotions escalated, Rybakina maintained a calm determination throughout the match.

Ultimately, her performance spoke volumes.