Elena Rybakina has avenged her 2023 Australian Open final defeat. The Kazakh toppled the formidable Aryna Sabalenka, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, to lift the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup for the first time in her tennis career. The victory was calm and composed, which pushed her beyond the abilities of her Belarusian opponent, who had been crowned as a two-time champion on the Aussie hard court.

The match was a blockbuster. It provided a perfect rematch for the audience at the Rod Laver Arena, as the Kazakh rammed through Sabalenka in three sets. The early pattern echoed their previous final, with Rybakina seizing the initiative to capture the first set 6-4, marking the first set Sabalenka had surrendered all tournament.

However, the narrative seemed to shift in the next set. Indeed, the second set saw a great comeback from Sabalenka. The Belarusian showcased why she is still the world no. 1 and pushed back Rybakina’s dream of being a straight-set victor at the Australian Open. Indeed, the second set ended with Sabalenka’s 6-4 comeback, and it ultimately made the match go to the final third set.

Serving for the championship at 5-4, Rybakina displayed proper composure. As she prepared to serve, the Aussie crowd started a Sabalenka chant. Rybakina’s reaction? The Kazakh knew she was close to making history, and her determination wasn’t broken by this trickery.

The razor-thin statistics showcased how close the match was. Both players won exactly 92 points, but the thing that separated the two was their ability to perform under ultimate pressure. Sabalenka had an advantage in her first serves (63% to 59%) but was equal in first-serve win percentage (74% each). The Kazakh’s critical 3/6 conversion rate on break points, compared to Sabalenka’s 2/8, also proved to be a decisive factor in the three-set battle.

With this victory, Rybakina not only closed the chapter of her 2023 heartbreak but also made a major mark in tennis history. The Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup comes as her second Grand Slam following her 2022 Wimbledon win. However, before this match, the two had nothing but respect for each other.

Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka opened up about their rivalry

After the 2026 Australian Open, despite Elena Rybakina‘s win, Aryna Sabalenka still holds the lead in their head-to-head. The two have faced each other 15 times, with Sabalenka winning 8 encounters.

Before the final at the Rod Laver Arena, Sabalenka said, “We both are different players. We went through different things and we’re much stronger mental and physically. We’re playing better tennis now. So I’ll approach this as completely different match. We have long history after that final. I’ll approach this match as the very first one and I will do my very best.”

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Their rivalry became a topic of recent discussion following Rybakina’s 2025 WTA Finals win over the Belarusian 6-3, 7-6(0). However, they had a mutual bond that echoed the word respect.

“Of course, many years have passed and a lot of matches have been played. Hopefully all the experience I got from the last match, and the last final that I played here, I can bring it to Saturday’s match and do my best. Since we’re both very aggressive players the serve will be important. I’ll fight till the end, and hopefully this time it’s going to go my way,” Rybakina said.

Throughout the entire tournament, neither of them lost a single set. This contributed to all the anticipation surrounding the finale, and the two tennis sensations proved it to the world with their elite showcase.