Elena Rybakina claimed her first Australian Open title on Saturday, taking revenge for the 2023 final defeat against World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
Playing with exceptional composure in a tense three-set match, the Kazakh champion clinched a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory at Rod Laver Arena, marking her second Grand Slam title.
Both finalists reached the championship match without dropping a single set throughout the tournament, showcasing their dominance on the hard courts.
Elena Rybakina Reveals How Her Coach’s Advice Helped Against Aryna Sabalenka
The match took an unexpected turn in the third set when Sabalenka took a 3-0 lead, leaving Rybakina reliving the 2023 championship match. However, Rybakina executed a stunning comeback, winning five consecutive games to take a 5-3 lead and then serving out the final set to secure the title. After the match, Rybakina talked about the mental shift that allowed her to turn the match around in her favor.
“I was actually already more calm and I was thinking to stay closer to the score, try to first hold my serve and try to get a break, and since I knew it’s just one break and anything can happen in the match, so I’m happy that I got some opportunities after I took them and I turned this match,” she said.
MORE: Aryna Sabalenka Sends Sarcastic Message to Her Team After Sad Australian Open Loss
The Kazakh player also acknowledged the emotional rollercoaster she experienced throughout the encounter, saying,
“Yeah, a bit of a roller coaster, especially in the 3rd set, and the 2nd set was so close, and I just needed a little bit of raising my attention, raising a little bit of level, but it didn’t happen. And then of course I got a bit frustrated, took some time, came back again, was down, but I’m super happy that I managed to listen a little bit better to my box because at some point I was with too many emotions and I turned this match around,” Rybakina explained.
That moment of listening to her coaching team proved to be the decisive turning point that changed the trajectory of the entire match.
The crucial advice came from her head coach, Stefano Vukov, who delivered a simple but powerful message from her player’s box. “You need to put energy! There’s no energy!” the coach said, encouraging her to add intensity and effort to her game.
The result was immediate as she broke serve in the next game and won six of the next seven games to secure the title.
“You need to put energy. There is no energy”.
This is when Rybakina took control. pic.twitter.com/pufXDwDS5e
— Pablo Puente (@SoyPabloPuente) January 31, 2026
Vukov’s Presence in Rybakina’s Box Helped the Kazakh Champion Immensely
Vukov’s presence in Rybakina’s coaching box at the Australian Open marked a significant moment, given the turbulent year that preceded this championship run. The WTA determined that Vukov had verbally abused Rybakina, causing her emotional distress and mental abuse.
Following this, Vukov received a one-year ban from WTA-sanctioned events in January 2025, issued by WTA Tour CEO Portia Archer.
Despite the allegations, Rybakina defended her former coach throughout the investigation process. The coach appealed the ban ahead of the French Open, and his appeal hearing took place before Wimbledon in a private arbitration process.
In August 2025, the WTA lifted Vukov’s suspension, making him eligible to receive credentials at WTA events once again. He made his official return to Rybakina’s coaching team at the Cincinnati Open and was fully reinstated in her player’s box.
The victory over Sabalenka marks a significant achievement as the World No. 1 was seeking her third Australian Open title in four years. This was her fourth consecutive final appearance in Melbourne Park, which included victories in 2023 and 2024 and a three-set loss to Madison Keys in 2025.
Despite her dominance on hard courts throughout the tournament, she could not find a way past Rybakina in the pivotal moments.
With her triumph at the Australian Open, Rybakina moved back to World No. 3 in the rankings, a position she last held in 2023. Her second Grand Slam title comes nearly four years after her breakthrough victory at Wimbledon in 2022, where she became the first Kazakh player to win a Grand Slam.
