Down 3-0 in the third set, Rybakina rallies past Sabalenka to win the Australian Open

Elena Rybakina added a new line to her résumé Saturday night in Melbourne: 2026 Australian Open champion.

The World No. 3 outlasted top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in 2 hours and 18 minutes on Rod Laver Arena to capture her second major title, and her first since Wimbledon in 2022.

“It’s hard to find words now,” Rybakina said during the trophy presentation. “But of course, I want to congratulate Aryna [for] amazing results [the last] couple of years. And I know it’s tough (now), but I just hope that we’re going to play many more finals together.”

It was a different ending than three years ago in Melbourne, when Rybakina won the first set of the 2023 final against Sabalenka before watching the match slip away in three.

This time, Rybakina relied on the fundamentals that have defined her rise to the top of the game.

Those strengths were evident in the final. Even with just six aces -- a modest total by her standards -- Rybakina served with precision, choosing her moments and controlling key passages of play.

None mattered more than the serve she found in the third set while trailing 3-0. With her coaching box urging a response, Rybakina answered immediately, steadying herself before firing an ace on the next point to start a crucial hold and pull within 3-1.

After Sabalenka had won five straight games spanning the second and third sets, that moment sparked Rybakina’s own run, as she rattled off five games in a row to move within one of the title.

Sabalenka held for 5-4, but on championship point, Rybakina again turned to her biggest weapon, delivering another ace to seal the victory. It was the culmination of a champion’s effort from Rybakina, who, along with Sabalenka, treated the fans in the stands and those watching at home to another instant classic in a rivalry full of them.

The match finished in a dead heat in nearly every category except the scoreline, with both players winning exactly 92 points.

But as is the cruel reality of tennis, Rybakina’s 92 meant more on this night, giving her not only her second Grand Slam title, but the 12th title of her career. Included among them are two major titles, a WTA Finals trophy and two WTA 1000 titles.

With her Australian Open win, she improves to 2-1 in Grand Slam finals and joins Caroline Wozniacki as the only players in the past decade to win the WTA Finals and follow it up by winning the women’s singles title at the Australian Open the next year.

She’ll also reclaim her career-high ranking of No. 3 on Monday, doing so on the back of a 9-1 start to the year -- part of a 20-1 stretch dating back to last season. She improves to 7-8 against Sabalenka at the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz level.

Sabalenka, meanwhile, falls to 4-4 in Grand Slam finals but retains the No. 1 ranking by more than 3,000 points as the calendar turns to February. She has spent 75 weeks at No. 1 in her career, 11th most in WTA history.

She ends her Australian swing with a Brisbane title and a near-perfect 11-1 record, dropping only the one set to Rybakina.

“I love being here, I love playing in front of you all,” Sabalenka said during the trophy presentation. “You guys are incredible support. I’m always looking forward to coming and playing in front of you, and well, let’s hope maybe next year is going to be a better year for me.”