Australian Open 2026: Sabalenka into fourth straight final and facing Rybakina again
The Hindu
Aryna Sabalenka defeats Elina Svitolina to advance to the 2026 Australian Open final, aiming for her third title.
Not even a point penalty for hindrance slowed Aryna Sabalenka’s run to a fourth consecutive Australian Open final.
The top-ranked Sabalenka overpowered Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-3 Thursday night to move within one victory of a third Australian Open title in four years.
A rematch of the 2023 final against Elena Rybakina was set up when the No. 5 seed ousted No. 6 Jessica Pegula 6-3, 7-6 (7) in the second semifinal.
“It was a great battle (against Sabalenka in 2023),” Rybakina said. “In the end, she played a bit better and it was well deserved. I want to enjoy the final and hopefully I can serve better than today. I am so excited.” Her semifinal was mostly one way until Rybakina had match point. The 2022 Wimbledon champion missed three match points on Pegula’s serve and then was broken twice while serving for the match.
Pegula rallied and had two set points in the tiebreaker but wasn’t able to convert, and Rybakina finally clinched it 29 minutes after her first match point.
“Really, really stressful,” Rybakina said. She admitted to flashbacks from the 2024 Open when she lost the longest women’s tiebreaker ever at a Grand Slam to Anna Blinkova 22-20 in a three-set defeat.
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