Australian Open 2026: Elena Rybakina beats Aryna Sabalenka to win women’s singles title

In a meeting between the two biggest players on the women’s tour, Rybakina neutralized Sabalenka’s signature strength with clean ball striking and a clutch serve before going deep into the deciding set.

Sabalenka has been at the top of the rankings for 75 weeks and continues to be the dominant player in women’s football, especially on hard courts, making her seventh consecutive major final on that surface.

But Rybakina has emerged as the Belarusian’s kryptonite after winning seven of the last nine matches on hard court.

Sabalenka, who was on course for an impressive comeback win, sat with her towel over her head as she thought another final had escaped her.

Rybakina, meanwhile, was able to celebrate a hugely impressive title run, also edging out world number two Iga Swiatek and sixth seed Jessica Pegula en route to the final.

She has now won her last 10 matches against top-10 players, becoming the first player since Naomi Osaka in 2019 to win the title by defeating three top-10 players in every round from the quarter-finals onwards.

Rybakina is undoubtedly the in-form player on the WTA Tour, having won more than anyone else since the end of Wimbledon last year (38) and losing just once in her last 21 matches.