Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina are all set to battle it out for the first Major of the year as the two will be in action at the 2026 Australian Open final on January 31. This will be the 15th time these two will be meeting on court, with Sabalenka winning 8 of the previous 14 encounters.
However, their last match, which came in the final of the WTA Finals last year, produced a couple of controversial moments.
What Happened the Last Time Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina Played Each Other?
The on-court result was in favor of Rybakina, who clinched the WTA Finals and the biggest paycheck in the history of the WTA Tour, which was north of $5 million. However, controversy erupted when the WTA CEO, Portia Archer, came to click photos with the two finalists.
Rybakina moved away, refusing to click a picture with Sabalenka and the CEO, showing her displeasure at Archer’s role in the ban of her coach, Stefano Vukov.
Back at the 2024 US Open, Rybakina had ended her coaching stint with Vukov, terminating a 5-year-long partnership. Subsequently, there were allegations against Vukov, which claimed that he had breached the code of conduct while coaching the Kazakh.
Understandably, the WTA launched an investigation, seeking the truth over the allegations. In January 2025, when Rybakina decided to renew her collaboration with Vukov, it was Portia Archer who sent a detailed document on Vukov’s “Code of Conduct” violation, resulting in his ban for a year.
Vukov, however, appealed against the decision, and the ban was lifted during August 2025, following which he joined Rybakina’s team immediately. Throughout the process, Rybakina defended Vukov in the media, claiming that there was no abuse involved while also expressing her frustrations on the investigations, which ultimately led to the photo snub in Riyadh.
This was not the only controversial moment from the match in Riyadh. After her loss, Sabalenka was visibly distraught and in tears.
It was understandable, as although the Belarusian ended the year as the No.1, that was the fifth time she lost in a final in 2025, after having such losses at the Australian Open, the French Open, and the Indian Wells Open.
Frustrated, Sabalenka was heard saying, “Once a year even a stick shoots”, which was not the most respectful way of characterising her opponent’s victory.
When asked, Rybakina did not make an issue out of it, stating that she always had cordial relations with Sabalenka and her team, both on and off the court.
The upcoming final in Melbourne promises to be a cracking contest, as the two players were part of an epic Australian Open final back in 2023.
Sabalenka won on that occasion in a three-set arm-wrestle, and will be going for her third crown in Melbourne, whereas Rybakina will be looking for the second Major title of her career.
According to PFSN’s exclusive Australian Open simulator, Sabalenka presents a greater chance of winning.
