Elena Rybakina secured the Australian Open 2026 women’s singles title, defeating world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 on January 31, 2026. Competing in front of a closed roof at Rod Laver Arena, Rybakina, the fifth seed, took two hours and 18 minutes to clinch her first Australian Open title and second Grand Slam overall.
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Rybakina, 26, expressed pride in becoming the first Kazakh player to achieve this milestone. "It was a battle. I’m really proud. It’s really a Happy Slam," she said, acknowledging the support from her team. She also congratulated Sabalenka for reaching her fourth consecutive Australian Open final, hoping for more future matchups between them.
In a well-fought match reminiscent of their previous encounters, Rybakina broke Sabalenka in her opening service game, reinforcing her solid performance from the earlier rounds. Despite some challenging moments, including saving break points while serving at 4-3, she managed to take the first set 6-4, echoing the previous year’s final score but with a different outcome in mind.
Sabalenka responded vigorously in the second set, eventually breaking Rybakina in the final game to force a deciding set. She quickly gained a 2-0 lead in the third, but Rybakina fought back fiercely, breaking Sabalenka to level the game and then taking a crucial lead at 4-3.
As the match drew to a close, Rybakina served for the championship with the crowd cheering her on. She sealed her victory with an ace, becoming only the sixth player in the Open Era to win her first two Grand Slam titles on grass and hard courts, joining the ranks of legends such as Amelie Mauresmo and Venus Williams.