Aryna Sabalenka won her first Grand Slam championship by rallying past Elena Rybakina 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the women’s final of the Australian Open on Saturday.
The Belarus-born 24-year-old Sabalenka was competing in her first major final.
She moved to 11-0 in 2023, with her lone loss coming against Wimbledon winner Rybakina in the opening set on Saturday.
But Sabalenka reversed the trend with an aggressive game that yielded 51 victories, 20 more than her opponent. Seven double-faults were overcome by seventeen aces. And she was able to break Rybakina three times, the latest time giving her a 4-3 lead in the third set, which she never surrendered.
Sabalenka was had to work for the title, as she double-faulted on her first match point and need three more to seal the deal.
»Aryna Sabalenka defeats Elena Rybakina to win the women’s title at the Australian Open«