Aryna Sabalenka wins Australian Open title after fighting back in style to beat Elena Rybakina in thriller

Aryna Sabalenka has won the 2023 Australian Open after a 4-6 6-3 6-4 win over Elena Rybakina.

It’s been a remarkable year for Sabalenka who has continued her unbeaten run in 2023 by winning her first career Grand Slam in singles against reigning Wimbledon champion Rybakina.

The world No. 5 responded to her error-strewn opening set by producing her finest tennis – striking 51 winners and landing 17 aces in total – to win the showdown between two of the biggest hitters on the WTA Tour.

Victory for Sabalenka means she will rise up to No. 2 in the WTA rankings behind Iga Swiatek, while Rybakina will move up from No. 25 to No. 10.

Rybakina started the highly-anticipated clash in style under the lights at Melbourne Park.

The 23-year-old fired three aces in her opening service game and then broke from 40-0 down to move into a 2-1 lead. The break was sealed when Sabalenka lashed a wild forehand into the tramlines.

Sabalenka pulled the break back with a backhand winner down the line to get back on terms at 4-4, but Rybakina restored her break advantage when the Belarusian doubled faulted for the fifth time in the match.

The Kazakhstani had no issues serving out the set with a love hold sealed with an unreturnable serve.

Sabalenka was struggling with her second serve with Rybakina applying heavy pressure when returning them. Sabalenka rescued two break points in her opening service game of the second set and broke to go 3-1 up after an unforced error from Rybakina.

The world No. 5 had to fight hard to hold her remaining service games with both players offloading powerful strikes off their forehand, but she was able to force a third set decider with a crushing ace.

With a Grand Slam title on the line the third set was understandably tense with both players unleashing vicious forehands and winners from the baseline.

But at 3-3 Sabalenka found the breakthrough. On her third break point of the game she put together a combination of three powerful shots, finishing off with a smash at the net, to move into a pivotal 4-3 lead.

Rybakina tried her very best to stay within touching distance. Sabalenka double faulted on her first championship point and made an unforced error on the second. Sabalenka then saved a break point before squandering another championship point with a forehand that went long.

But at the fourth time of asking Rybakina overcooked a forehand before Sabalenka crumbled to the ground in tears of joy.

More to follow…

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