Australian Open final 2026: What to know about Sabalenka vs. Rybakina rematch
MELBOURNE, Australia -- The first Grand Slam finals of the season are set, with the 2026 Australian Open singles and doubles championships ready to be decided.
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka advanced to her fourth straight Australian Open final after defeating Elina Svitolina in the semifinals. She will face fifth-seeded Elena Rybakina, who needed four match points to close out Jessica Pegula. The matchup is a rematch of the 2023 Australian Open final, which Sabalenka won 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
In the doubles final, fourth-seeded Elise Mertens and Zhang Shuai will meet seventh seeds Aleksandra Krunić and Anna Danilina. Both teams navigated demanding paths to the championship match, featuring multiple three-set contests and several tiebreaks.
Here is everything you need to know ahead the first Grand Slam finals on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz:
When are the Australian Open singles and doubles finals?
New to the Australian Open this year is that both the women's singles and doubles finals will occur on the same day, Saturday, Jan. 31. Both will take place on Rod Laver Arena.
The singles final will take place at 7:30 p.m. local (8:30 a.m. GMT, 3:30 a.m. EST), with the doubles final being played earlier in the day at 12 p.m. (1 a.m. GMT, 8 p.m. EST Friday).
How did each singles player and doubles team reach the championship?
Sabalenka
Sabalenka has advanced to her eighth Grand Slam final overall and hasn't dropped a set en route to the final -- just like she did in 2023 and 2024, when she eventually won the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup.
First round: def. Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah 6-4, 6-1
Second round: def. Zhuoxuan Bai 6-3, 6-1
Third round: def. Anastasia Potapova 7-6 (4), 7-6 (7)
Round of 16: def. Victoria Mboko 6-1, 7-6 (1)
Quarterfinals: def. Iva Jovic 6-3, 6-0
Semifinals: def. Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-3
Rybakina
In similar fashion, Rybakina also hasn't dropped a set this tournament. Her closest match came in the semifinal when Jessica Pegula saved three match points and even created two set points in the second-set tiebreak, but Rybakina rallied to close it in straights.
First round: def. Kaia Juvan 6-4, 6-3
Second round: def. Varvara Gracheva 7-5, 6-2
Third round: def. Tereza Valentova 6-2, 6-3
Round of 16: def. Elise Mertens 6-1, 6-3
Quarterfinals: def. Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-1
Semifinals: def. Jessica Pegula 6-3, 7-6 (7)
Krunić-Danilina
Krunić and Danilina's statement win came in the quarterfinals against the reigning Australian Open doubles champions Siniakova and Townsend, who are also the top two doubles players in the world. In addition to knocking off Aussie duo Joint and Hunter, they outlasted Stefani and Dabrowski in the semifinals, a pair of players that competed -- with different partners -- in the 2025 WTA Finals Riyadh.
First round: def. Quinn Gleason & Elena Pridankina 7-5, 4-6, 6-0
Second round: def. Arina Rodionova & Daria Kasatkina 6-3, 6-4
Round of 16: def. Maya Joint & Storm Hunter 7-5, 7-6 (6)
Quarterfinals: def. Taylor Townsend & Katerina Siniakova 6-2, 3-6, 6-0
Semifinals: def. Luisa Stefani & Gabriela Dabrowski 7-6 (2), 3-6, 6-4
Mertens-Zhang
Mertens and Zhang were nearly eliminated in their second-round match against Iva Jovic and Victoria Mboko -- they prevailed in the thrilling 10-point match tiebreak. Otherwise, despite a three-set win in their quarterfinals, they've cruised through the field and were the highest seed remaining heading into the semifinals.
First round: def. Sorana Cirstea & Anna Kalinskaya 6-4, 6-2
Second round: def. Iva Jovic & Victoria Mboko 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (10)
Round of 16: def. Peyton Stearns & Hailey Baptiste 6-4, 6-3
Quarterfinals: def. Wu Fang-Hsien & Eri Hozumi 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
Semifinals: def. Vera Zvonareva & Ena Shibahara 6-3, 6-2
What are the ranking points and prize money at stake?
In advance of the tournament, Tennis Australia announced a record total prize pool of AUD $111.5 million, a 16% increase from last year. As with all Grand Slams, 2,000 ranking points for both singles and doubles will be available, with 1,300 awarded to the finalist.
Regardless of win or loss, Sabalenka will remain the No. 1 in the PIF WTA Rankings as she's matched her finish from the 2025 Australian Open. Rybakina, win or loss, will slide into No. 3 for the first time since January 2024.
For singles, the champion will receive a record AUD $4.1 million (approx. USD $2.75 million), while the finalist earns a check for AUD $2.15 million (USD $1.44 million).
In doubles, the winning duo receives AUD $900,000 (USD $604,000) and the second-place team brings home AUD $485,000 (USD $325,000).
Sabalenka vs. Rybakina championship preview
Rybakina most recently defeated Sabalenka 6-3, 7-6(0) in the championship match at the 2025 WTA Finals Riyadh, earning a record $5.235 million winner’s prize.
The matchup features two of the tour’s biggest servers and most aggressive baseliners, with a head-to-head history that dates back to 2019. They have met six times at WTA 1000 events, three times at the WTA Finals, and this will mark their third meeting at a Grand Slam.
"I think her shots are heavy, deep, flat balls," Sabalenka said. "It's not easy to work with, but we have a great history. She's incredible player. We had a lot of great battles, a lot of finals we played. If it's going to be her, I'm looking forward to [battling] this power."
Entering the final, Rybakina has won 18 of her past 19 matches, and her serve has been potent with 41 aces this year in Melbourne. Sabalenka has opened the season 11-0, successfully defending her Brisbane International title and using her power from both wings to control matches.
"Last match we played here, it was very close," Rybakina said to press of the 2023 final. "Throughout the match of course I had some little opportunities, but in the end of this third set, I think Aryna stepped in. She deserved that win.
"Of course many years passed, a lot of matches has been played. Hopefully with all the experience which I got from this last match, last time final I played here, I can bring it to Saturday match and do my best, focus on my serve, of course. Since we are both very aggressive players, serve is important. Hopefully this time it's gonna go my way."