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Rybakina beats world No 1 Sabalenka to win her first Australian Open

Elena Rybakina beat top seed and world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in the Australian Open women's final at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday, 31 January. It was her first title in Melbourne and her second major, after Wimbledon in 2022. The match lasted 2 hours 18 minutes, Khaleej Times reported.

Al Jazeera called it a shock. Sabalenka, a two-time champion here, had won 46 of her previous 48 hardcourt Grand Slam matches and won the 2023 final against the same opponent. She led 3-0 in the deciding set before Rybakina broke back and closed it out with an ace. Neither player had dropped a set on the way to the final, the first time that had happened in a Grand Slam final since 2008.

“I'm really speechless right now.” — Aryna Sabalenka, via Al Jazeera

Khaleej Times described the fifth seed as “ice-cool”, noting that the 26-year-old, born in Moscow and representing Kazakhstan since 2018, beat Iga Swiatek and Jessica Pegula on the way. TimesLIVE, carrying Reuters, wrote of a “thunderous display”.

How each outlet framed it

• Al Jazeera — an upset of the favourite, with both players' words.
• Khaleej Times — nerve: an ice-cool comeback in the third set.
• TimesLIVE (Reuters) — power: Rybakina's serve overwhelming Sabalenka.

What we don't know yet: whether this rivalry will settle into a pattern. Sabalenka won their 2023 Melbourne final; Rybakina has now beaten her in the 2025 WTA Finals and here.