Elena Rybakina will face Aryna Sabalenka in the Australian Open final, after defeating Jessica Pegula to book her place in the decider.
Pegula’s search for a Grand Slam breakthrough continues following her 6-3, 7-6 (9-7) defeat to Rybakina under the lights at Rod Laver Arena.
Sabalenka, meanwhile, had earlier booked her spot with a commanding win over Elina Svitolina on the same court.
The world number one claimed a 6-2, 6-3 victory to reach her fourth consecutive Australian Open final.
Sabalenka and Rybakina look ahead to what promises to be another entertaining match-up, having recently faced off in the title match of the 2025 WTA Finals.
Jessica Pegula says Elena Rybakina is ‘one of the best players in the world’
Pegula spoke to the media after her match, giving her view on Rybakina’s rise and why she thinks she is a real threat to the Belarusian star.
“Yeah, she’s always just tough. You know, she’s so chill. She doesn’t really give you anything, and I think that’s hard sometimes,” the 31-year-old began by saying.
“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. You don’t really have a lot of energy to play off of, so I think that’s always kind of her number one thing.
“You know, obviously her serve, I don’t think she served her best tonight, to be honest. I think her first-serve percentage was a little down.
“But at the same time, it’s so tough with her because you just know that she can throw in a couple of aces at any time.
“She threw in a couple of big serves at the end in that tiebreak. How she always kind of keeps you guessing with the serve I think is definitely one of her strengths.
“You know, not just that, but she’s a good returner. She was returning really well tonight and kept breaking me even when I felt like I hit some good serves.
“I think the combination of those two things makes her frustrating to play against, because she puts pressure on the return, but then she also… you’re like, gosh, now I have to break her if I get broken, and that’s really hard to do.
“I think you’re always kind of on edge with her with that, because even when you break her, it’s not like she’s a terrible returner and you’re going to win free games and are like, oh, I got the set.
“It’s, like, oh, no, she usually plays a better return game right afterwards, and you are like, gosh, now I have to go back and try and break her again, which is impossible.
“I think that’s her best attributes as a player, the fact that she stays calm. I think her serve and return, she just puts so much pressure on you.
“I mean, we’ve already seen her beat Aryna before somewhat recently, and I think she’s one of the best players in the world when she’s healthy and confident, and right now it seems like she is. Yeah, it will be an interesting final.”
How Elena Rybakina’s serve could decide the Australian Open final
The two have met before in an Australian Open final, going head-to-head back in 2023.
Sabalenka came from a set down that day, taking the title with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win.
But Rybakina is a different player now compared to then and looks capable of causing problems in a key area of the game.
She has already hit 41 aces at this year’s tournament – more than anyone else in the WTA field.
That serve could prove crucial, particularly given that Sabalenka is not known as one of the top returners on tour.
While she is also strong on serve, last season she ranked behind Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff in return metrics according to WTA stats, finishing 2025 with lower percentages for both return games won and return points won.
On the other hand, if Rybakina struggles to land her first serves consistently, Sabalenka’s aggressive style could quickly become a problem for her opponent.
- READ MORE: Martina Navratilova disagrees with umpire’s call against Aryna Sabalenka at Australian Open
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