World number one Aryna Sabalenka has revealed the moment she knew she had lost the Australian Open final to Elena Rybakina. Leading 3-0 in the deciding set, Sabalenka saw her advantage slip away as Rybakina mounted a stunning comeback to win 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
Sabalenka, the two-time defending champion, broke Rybakina early in the third set but then lost her focus. Rybakina held serve, broke back, and levelled at 3-3. The turning point came in the seventh game when Sabalenka faced two break points at 15-40. She saved one but then hit a forehand unforced error to hand Rybakina a 4-3 lead.
“I was 3-0 [in the third set]. I lost my focus and it was 3-4,” Sabalenka said after the match. “She did a better job in handling that pressure moment, that's for sure.” Sabalenka admitted she had regrets, saying, “You lead 3-0 and then it felt like in few seconds it was 3-4 and I was down a break. So it was very fast. Great tennis from her. Maybe not so smart for me.”
Rybakina, who won Wimbledon in 2022, secured her second major title with an ace. She credited her calmness under pressure: “I'm happy that being down [on the scoreboard], I was able to calm myself down. Not be frustrated anymore and just focus on each point and stay closer to the score.”
The victory avenged Rybakina's loss to Sabalenka in the 2023 Australian Open final. Sabalenka, who had not dropped a set en route to the final, was considered the favourite but could not overcome Rybakina's resilience. “It's tennis — today you're the loser, tomorrow you're the winner,” Sabalenka said. “Hopefully, I'll be more of a winner this season than a loser. Hoping right now and praying.”
