Elena Rybakina has secured her place in the Australian Open 2026 women's final with a determined 6-3, 7-6(7) victory over Jessica Pegula in the semifinals. The Kazakh star demonstrated composure under pressure, delivering crucial aces and winners to seal the match in one hour and 40 minutes. This win sets the stage for a highly anticipated final showdown against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, a rematch of their 2023 Australian Open championship battle.
Rybakina's Resilient Performance and Emotional Interview
Seeded fifth, Elena Rybakina showcased remarkable resilience during her semifinal match in Melbourne. The tense second-set tiebreak evoked memories of a painful defeat she suffered two years ago at the same venue. In her on-court interview, Rybakina candidly discussed the emotional weight of the moment.
"It was really, really stressful," Rybakina admitted. "I had some epic tiebreak here a couple of years ago and lost it ... a little flashback came. But I am super happy that in the end it turned my way." This reference alludes to her 2024 second-round loss to Anna Blinkova, which concluded 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(20) and featured the longest tiebreak in Grand Slam history at 22-20.
Blockbuster Final: Rybakina vs Sabalenka Rematch
The Australian Open 2026 final will witness a thrilling rematch between Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka, reprising their 2023 title clash. Sabalenka, aiming for her third Melbourne crown in four years, advanced to her fourth consecutive final by dominating Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-3.
Sabalenka currently leads their head-to-head record 8-6 overall and 5-4 on outdoor hard courts. However, Rybakina holds a 3-1 advantage in finals, including a commanding 6-3, 7-6(0) victory in their most recent encounter at the 2025 WTA Finals title match in Riyadh.
Reflecting on their 2023 Australian Open final, where Sabalenka triumphed 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, Rybakina remarked, "It was a great battle we played. Just in the end, she played a bit better. She won that match, and it was very deserved. I want to enjoy the final, and hopefully I'm gonna serve better than today, and that will help me."
Historic Stats and Dominant Tournament Runs
Both Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka enter the final undefeated in sets throughout this tournament. This marks the first occurrence of such a pair at the Australian Open since Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters in 2004, and the first at any Grand Slam since Serena and Venus Williams at Wimbledon 2008. They join an elite group as the 23rd Open Era pair of Grand Slam finalists to reach the title match without dropping a set.
This final represents the fourth instance this century of the same duo competing in multiple Australian Open finals, following notable pairs like Capriati-Hingis (2001-2002) and Serena-Venus (2003, 2017). Among active players, only Sabalenka and Coco Gauff have met in multiple major finals, at the US Open 2023 and Roland Garros 2025.
