31/01/2026

SPORTS SATURDAY | JAN 31, 2026

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Sabalenka clashes with Rybakina for Melbourne title

FIRE meets fire when hard-hitting Aryna Sabalenka clashes with big-serving Elena Rybakina in the women’s Australian Open final today. The showdown pits two players who are on rampaging form and yet to drop a set in Melbourne in the past fortnight. They know each other very well, having met 14 times previously, and it is a rematch of the 2023 title decider at Rod Laver Arena. The Belarusian Sabalenka prevailed on that occasion, fighting back from a set down to win her first Grand Slam crown. The world No. 1 won it again in 2024, but was denied a hat-trick last year when she was Ice-cool Elena looking for revenge B OR N in Moscow but playing for Kazakhstan, Australian Open finalist Elena Rybakina once said that “I don’t live anywhere, to be honest”. One place she does feel very much at home however is the tennis court, and particularly Melbourne’s hard courts. The big-serving 26-year-old faces world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in today’s title decider, a rematch of the 2023 final. On that occasion the Belarusian fought back to win in three sets and deny Rybakina a second Grand Slam crown, the Kazakh having tri umphed on the grass at Wimbledon a few months earlier. Since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, several women players from Russia have changed allegiance to other countries. But Rybakina’s switch to play under the Kazakh flag happened in 2018 when she was a little-known 19-year-old at 175 in the world. Never the most comfortable or expressive in front of the media, she quickly became tired of questions about it as her rise to prominence began. “They believed in me. There is no more ques tion about how I feel,” Rybakina said when quizzed about representing Kazakhstan on her run to the Wimbledon title in 2022. Speaking in Melbourne, Rybakina said the change to Kazakhstan came when she had just finished school and was trying to decide whether to study in the United States or con tinue playing professional tennis. “It was of course not easy financially,” said the fifth seed. “I remember I played WTA tourna ments. I had great results. They saw me, and that’s basically how we found each other.” On the court Rybakina, who is 1.84m, has a booming serve and the kind of power that makes today’s final against Sabalenka a potential blockbuster. American Jessica Pegula, beaten by Rybakina in the semifinals, said it was her icy demeanour which made her so formidable. Pegula described the inscrutable Rybakina as “cool as a cucumber”. “She’s always just tough. You know, she’s so chill. She doesn’t really give you anything,” said Pegula after going down in straight sets. “You’re not really sure if she’s upset or if she’s excited or what it is. I think in today’s game that goes a long way.” – AFP

that is her only defeat in 14 matches. She has been quietly impressive in Melbourne, her victims including world No. 2 Iga Swiatek and world No. 6 Jessica Pegula. Pegula gave an insight into what it is like facing the Kazakh, who she labelled “cool as a cucumber”. And then there’s Rybakina’s serve, the biggest in women’s tennis. She has sent down 41 aces at the tournament, easily more than anyone else in the women’s draw. Reflecting on their 2023 Australian final, Rybakina said both she and Sabalenka had improved and changed as players since. But one thing remains the same – their power. – AFP

Sabalenka goes into the final in scintillating form, having won all of her 11 matches in 2026 without dropping a set. She lifted the Brisbane title before coming to Melbourne and is also the reigning US Open champion, underlining her prowess on hard courts. Sabalenka will be favourite, but recent history actually favours the 26-year-old Rybakina. While Sabalenka leads their head-to-head record 8-6, Rybakina won the last time they met, in the decider at the WTA Finals in November in Saudi Arabia, in straight sets. Rybakina is also on a terrific run of form of her own. She lost in the quarterfinals in Brisbane, but

stunned in the final by the American Madison Keys. The meeting with the Kazakh Rybakina will be her fourth Melbourne final in a row, and she is expecting an almighty tussle. “Her shots are heavy, deep, flat balls. It’s not easy to work with, but we have a great history,” said the 27-year-old, who defeated Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina in the semi-finals. “She’s an incredible player,“ she added of the Moscow-born Rybakina, whose only major title so far is Wimbledon in 2022. “We had a lot of great battles, a lot of finals we played. I’m looking forward to battling this power,” the top seed added with a smile.

‘Believing’ Alcaraz

outlasts

Zverev

Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz celebrates after defeating Germany’s Alexander Zverev (not pictured) in the men’s singles semifinal match at the Australian Open in Melbourne yesterday. – AFPPIC

World No. 1 wins epic 5-set slugfest to reach maiden Melbourne final A N ailing Carlos Alcaraz said “believing” helped him pull through one of the most demanding match of his career to down Alexander Zverev in five epic sets and he fought on. Despite not being at 100% the 22-year-old somehow found a way to claw back from a break down in the fifth set as the crowd roared him on. Germany’s Zverev was left shattered in his latest failed bid to win a major.

Alcaraz has won two French Opens, two US Opens and twice at Wimbledon, but success on the blue Melbourne Park hard courts has eluded him in four previous campaigns. His efforts yesterday made him the youngest to reach the men’s singles final at all four Slams. “I’m really happy to play my first final in Melbourne. It’s something I was pursuing a lot,” said Alcaraz, who collapsed to the court at the end. “It’s been a great two weeks so far. I couldn’t be here right now doing this interview without you,” Alcaraz said, gesturing to the fans. “I’m really grateful for the support that I got, not only in this match but also the whole tournament. “I’m just really happy to have the chance to play my first final in Melbourne. It’s something I was pursuing a lot, chasing a lot, having the chance to fight for the title.” – AFP/Reuters

reach his first Australian Open final yesterday. The world No. 1 outlasted the German third seed 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (3-7), 6-7 (4-7), 7-5 over a titanic 5hrs 27 mins in hot conditions in Melbourne. The Spaniard only narrowly avoided crashing out after a huge fright at 4-4 in the third set when he pulled up in pain with what appeared to be cramp. He was allowed to have treatment at the changeover, leaving Zverev furious and angrily remonstrating with officials. Medical timeouts are not permitted solely for muscle cramping. Alcaraz continued but his movement was hampered and he lost his first set of the tournament, before the pickle juice kicked in and

“Believing all the time,” Alcaraz, into his eighth major final and fourth in a row, said of how he pulled through. “I always say that you have to believe in yourself no matter what, no matter what struggles you’ve been through, you’ve gotta still believe in yourself all the time. “I was struggling in the middle of the third set,” he added. “Basically it was one of the most demanding matches that I have ever played in my short career. “But I’ve been in these kinds of situations, these kinds of matches before. I had to put my heart into the match. I fought until the last ball.”

From fragile youngster to dominant star

A N insatiable work ethic and commanding court presence has propelled Aryna Sabalenka to the cusp of a fifth Grand Slam title, a far cry from the talented but mentally fragile player of her younger days. Two Australian Open crowns, in 2023 and 2024, and two at the US Open have established the powerful Belarusian as the dominant force in the women’s game. Already the first woman to mount a successful title defence at Melbourne Park since compatriot Victoria Azarenka in 2013, the 27-year-old can

She then lifted two more majors in 2024, a season in which she had to deal with the death of her ex-boyfriend – NHL ice hockey player Konstantin Koltsov – in an apparent suicide. After he died, the Belarusian opted to play in the Miami Open and subsequently said it was a mistake. “I was struggling a lot health-wise because I didn’t stop. It was really emotional and really stressful.” Once again, Sabalenka bounced back, winning the US Open last year to now stand on the cusp of yet more glory. – AFP

go out there and fight with what I have and do everything I can,” she said. “I think when I have this mentality, I play my best tennis, and I’m there, I’m fighting.” Sabalenka has attributed her dominance over the past year to being “more mature, older, whatever you want to call it”. Her breakthrough Slam came at Melbourne in 2023, which she followed up by making the semifinals in Paris and at Wimbledon, before reaching the final of the US Open that year.

While now her happy place, where she’s lost just one of her last 25 matches, it is a far cry from the 2022 tournament where her serve was in pieces and her fragile emotions laid painfully bare. The dramatic change since then has been a reward for hard work with her coaches and a sports psychologist, which has given her a zen-like peace while losing none of her fierce competitive instincts. “Right now my mentality is like I’m ready to do whatever, whatever is going to be in that finals, I’m ready to

etch her name among the greats by winning a third today against Elena Rybakina. In doing so, she would join an esteemed group including Serena Williams, Martina Hingis and Steffi Graf. She is playing a fourth consecutive Australian Open final – something only Evonne Goolagong and Hingis have done previously in the Open era. “I just love this place,” Sabalenka said of playing on Rod Laver Arena. “I love this stadium. Every time I’m competing there, I really enjoy my time.”