The Australian Open
Sabalenka stops Rybakina in AO title fightback
Aryna Sanalenka needed four match points to achieve her tennis dream as she won the Australian Open 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 over Elena Rybakina on Saturday.
The victory in two and a half hours kept Moscow-born Kazakh Rybakina from backing up the Wimbledon trophy she claimed last July over Ons Jabeur.
Sabalenka will move to second in the world behind Poland’s Iga Swiatek in Monday’s rankings.
The winner had to fight to close out the biggest success of her career as Rybakina defended fiercely in the concluding game at the Laver showcourt.
Sabalenka came good in the end as a Rybakina forehand went long.
Now-retired 2022 Open winner Ash Barty from Australia played a major role in the trophy ceremony, with the actual jewellry presented by legend Billie Jean King.
Sabalenka stands a perfect 11-0 this season, with the final her only match extending to three sets.
The winner posted 17 aces among 58 winners and 28 unforced errors; Rybakina’s totals were nine, 31 and 25.
“I’m still shaking, I’m super-nervous,” the winner said. “It’s such an inspiration to get the trophy from Billie Jean.
“Thanks for all you have done for our sport.
“Elena had an incredible two weeks, We’re gonna have many more battles – hopefully in other Grand Slam finals.”
The payer who had to cure a serious case of the serving yips in 2022 tanked her coaching team, which she called “the craziest on Tour.”
“We went through a lot of downs last year but we worked so hard. This trophy is more about them than me.
“I hope to come back stronger next year and show even better tennis.”
Sabalenka now stands 4-0 over her rival, with previous wins in Wimbledon and Abu Dhabi in 2021 and Wuhan in 2019.
She broke through for a Grand Slam finals place after semi-finals at Wimbledon and twice at the US Open.
Rybakina made her winning intentions known early, starting with a break of serve in the third game.
She then lost it as Sabalenka broke back for 4-all; but the fifth seed was unable to profit, with Rybakina breaking again to lead 5-4,
She closed out the set a game later on her first opportunity.
Photo Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd
Sabalenka squared the match in a second set lasting for nearly an hour as she ran off a 5-2 lead. Rybakina saved three break points in an eight-minute sixth game as well as a pair of set points in the eighth to pull to 3-5.
But Sabalenka finished off the set with a second-serve ace on her third opportunity in the next game.
The seed who came to the final with a 10-0 record in 2023 after also winning the Adelaide title, moved into her first three-set match of the season, with Rybakina taking the early lead with a hold, 1-0.
Sabalenka put pressure on her opponent in the seventh game, earning the break for 4-3 with an overhead after Rybakina had saved two break points. She consolidated 5-3, closing with a 17th ace.
“Aryna has had a great start to the season, I know how hard you’ve worked.
“My team and I did a great job in the preseason and over the past three or four years.
“I feel good paying here – I got goosebumps when we were introduced.
“I’m looking forward to coming back next year.. Hopefully I can have the same result and maybe even better,” the player who defeated five seeds including world No. 1 Swiatek during the fortnight said.
Main photo:- Australian Open 2023 Aryna Sabalenka (xxx) celebrates after she wins Ladies Singles Final Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd
Tennis style icon Naomi Osaka has no plans to try for one-upmanship in the informal fashion stakes at Roland Garros.
The former world No. 1 from Japan has sometimes made more news with her style choices than her racquet, especially after taking time off several seasons ago to have a child.
But Osaka has run against the traditional tennis grain with some of her outfits, which included an exo-skeleton ensemble at January’s Australian Open, where she walked onto court for her opening match wearing a large hat, veil, and carrying a parasol combination and wearing a pair of pleated pants..
The clothing was discarded before the start revealing a tennis dress, with the quirky player explaining the get-up was inspired by “the jellyfish, then butterflies, which ties back to the butterfly moment I had here a long time ago, in 2021,”
The world No. 16 also put on a fashion show at the spring Met Gala in New York, sporting a wedding dress-style garment combined with another huge hat..
For Osaka, it’s just another day in the office, but she said nothing special is planned when Roland Garros kicks of on Sunday in Paris.
“I don’t talk a lot, so that way I can talk through my clothes,” she said on Saturday prior to the start of the year’s second major.
“That means I can be as loud with colors or patterns or
fabric as I want.
“I think that’s the fun part.. I feel we lost that a little in tennis. I grew up with, you know, Serena’s and Venus’s (Williams) grand reveals (included beaded hair and catsuits on court).
“I know there are some kids or some people who are similar to me that hopefully feel that same way about my outfits.
“But, yeah, I am a little dramatic when it comes to my fashion sense.”
Nick Kyrgios is being touted for a return to tennis after playing just one singles match all season, with the controversial Australian due in the lineups for Stuttgart and Halle in June.
The 2022 Wimbledon finalist who turns 31 in a week, has been added to the entry lists for the pair of run-up events prior to the grass-court major which starts on June 29.
Kyrgios, who has missed months on end due to injury and motivational worries, has played just one Grand Slam match since 2022, losing in the Australian Open first round in 2025.
His lone outing this season was an ATP defeat in Brisbane on January 6.
Nevertheless, the acquired taste is feted as a crowd-puller and will have German organisers on alert as to his eventual availability.
“Nick Kyrgios has been one of the most dazzling personalities in world tennis for years,” Halle tournament organisers said in a statement.
“The Australian is known for his exceptional playing style, characterised by one of the best serves on the tour, spectacular winners, and great creativity.
“At the same time, his emotional personality and charisma attract considerable attention far beyond the sport.”
Stuttgart start the day after the Roland Garros final while Halle follows a week later in northern Germany from June 13-21.
Novak Djokovic has been making it plain that the end of his career is approaching, with the 38-year-old dropping his strongest hint ever about his future on court.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion who has been keeping his ATP scheduling options open and has competed this season only at the Australian Open (finals loss to Carlos Alcaraz) and winning two rounds last month at Indian Wells.
“Tennis is still very important to me, but it’s no longer everything,” the Serb told Esquire Australia, adding that family matters and two children are starting to take precedence in his life.
“It’s one of the biggest challenges – finding the right balance between tennis and family life, especially as my children are growing and have school commitments, so they can’t travel with me as much as before.
“When I’m on the court, I’m motivated not just to win, but to set an example – to show them values like dedication, resilience, and love for what you do. That motivation is very powerful and very personal.”
Main photo:- Novak Djokovic was runner up to Carlos Alcaraz in AO26 – by ISF Ltd
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