Elena Rybakina has plenty to savor after sealing her second Grand Slam title in Melbourne on Saturday. The Kazakh showcased steely resolve, outlasting world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a punishing three-set final.
After making history at the Australian Open, Rybakina was quick to turn her thoughts toward her family members, especially her grandparents, who have been with her since the beginning.
Elena Rybakina Plans to Contact Grandparents Following Historic Australian Open Victory
The significance of the moment prompted Rybakina to thank her family and grandparents after the match. She revealed that she had already texted her family but had yet to see their response, while also acknowledging her grandparents’ support and expressing her intention to call them.
“Yes I did of course. I texted to my family. I didn’t see the answer yet. My biggest support also grandparents. No matter the time, my grandfather and grandmother are watching. It’s amazing. Definitely I will call them,” she said (via Australian Open).
Rybakina and Sabalenka had cruised through the 2026 Australian Open without dropping a set, but the test intensified when they met in the final. Notably, it was also a rematch of their 2023 Australian Open title clash, which Sabalenka won in three sets.
This time, Rybakina imposed her game with clarity and discipline, serving with intent, picking her moments, and controlling the decisive phases of the match. The final was far closer than the scoreline implied, with both players finishing with an identical 92 points won.
However, Rybakina remained composed when it mattered most, closing out a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory in 2 hours, 18 minutes to a rousing reception at Rod Laver Arena. The 26-year-old’s resilience was evident in the deciding set, when she clawed back from a 3-0 deficit and won the set to seal her second Grand Slam title.
Her Australian Open triumph improved her Grand Slam finals record to 2–1 and made her only the second player in the past decade, after Caroline Wozniacki, to follow a WTA Finals triumph by winning the women’s singles crown in Melbourne the following year.
The victory marked a major milestone in Rybakina’s career, delivering her a second Grand Slam title and lifting her to a career-high No. 3 in the WTA rankings. The surge saw her move ahead of Coco Gauff, who bowed out in the quarterfinals after a defeat to Elina Svitolina.
Despite the defeat, Sabalenka remains firmly atop the WTA rankings, holding a cushion of more than 3,000 points as February begins. While the loss left her with a 4–4 win-loss record in Grand Slam finals, it did little to diminish her broader dominance, with the Belarusian having already accumulated 75 weeks at No. 1.
