World No. 5 Elena Rybakina defeated tournament leader Aryna Sabalenka with extremely powerful hitting to win her first Australian Open title after a thrilling three-set final on Saturday.
Under the closed roof of the "Rod Laver Arena", Rybakina from Kazakhstan triumphed over Sabalenka from Belarus with the score 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, after two hours and 18 minutes of play.
Rybakina sealed her second Grand Slam title with an ace and celebrated in a low-key manner, with a fist pump.
She surprised the favorite Sabalenka thanks to her great hitting power, strong serve and consistency, even though she was at a 0-3 disadvantage in the deciding set.
The 2022 Wimbledon champion got revenge after the 2023 final, when Sabalenka had won after a dramatic upset.
For Sabalenka, this was a huge disappointment, as she had won 26 of her last 27 matches at Melbourne Park before this final.
The 27-year-old had lost only once in the last four years at the Australian Open, in last year's final to Madison Keys, ending her bid for a third consecutive title.
Only Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Martina Hingis had previously managed to play at least four consecutive Australian Open finals in the professional era.
The final was eagerly awaited, as both players had reached it without losing a set.
Sabalenka gave the first signal with a powerful forehand, but Rybakina reacted calmly, broke serve in the opening game and took a 4-2 lead.
Rybakina didn't rely solely on strength, but also showed finesse with accurate drop shots, taking Sabalenka out of her rhythm. She closed the first set in 37 minutes.
In the second set, Sabalenka increased the pressure and changed the course of the game thanks to excellent athleticism.
In the deciding set, the Belarusian took a 3-0 lead, but Rybakina reacted strongly, winning five games in a row and turning the match around.
Sabalenka forced Rybakina to end the match on serve, but the Kazakh showed composure and secured the victory in style, writing her own history at the Australian Open./Express newspaper/
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