MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) – Extreme nervous tension. Adrenaline. Elena Rybakina felt it all as she stood on the baseline on match point, relying on one of the best tools at her disposal to win the match. Australian Open title.
“Even maybe (my) face was not visible, but inside there were a lot of emotions,” Rybakina recalls about this ace, served coldly and neutrally, who gave top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka no chance to extend the contest.
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Rybakina, 26, is clearly not the type for euphoric, jubilant celebrations, as rivals and tennis observers noted during her title run. Wimbledon title in 2022.
Having put to rest any lingering doubts about her ability to add another major title with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory on Saturday against the world number one, her reserved and understated reaction was once again a deciding factor.
Expect to see more – the winning game, not demonstrative celebrations. This is his secret to success.
In three months, she won the WTA final, defeating Sabalenka to collect a record $5.2 million prize money and, more importantly in tennis terms, added another of the sport’s four most valuable trophies.
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The No. 5 seed removed any doubt that she is a leading contender for the biggest titles with a series that includes second-week wins over No. 1 Sabalenka, a four-time major winner and four-time runner-up, No. 2 Iga Świątek, a six-time major winner, and No. 6 Jessica Pegula.
“Of course, they are tough opponents, and they have great results, and for so long they are at the top and it is stable,” she said. “Yes, I had a lot of difficult matches here. I’m happy that I managed to take advantage of the opportunities I had during the match.”
She will return to third place in the rankings next week.
The recent rise
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Rybakina’s resurgence has just completed a 2025 season interrupted by the suspension of his coach for one month by the WTA and shape from top to bottom.
Rybakina has worked with Stefano Vukov since 2019. More recently, she said, clear communication has been key to preparation and competition.
Her support team feeds her the information – there’s an almost endless stream of technical and tactical advice coming from the coach’s box during her matches – and she processes it in real time and puts it into practice on the pitch.
His first real interactions with anyone other than Sabalenka after the victory were with his support team sitting on the court.
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She hugged Vukov first. Then, one by one, she hugged the other three.
The return
After winning Wimbledon in 2022 and losing the 2023 Australian Open final to Sabalenka, Rybakina’s form has run hot and cold.
While Sabalenka and Świątek managed to win majors and stay at the top, some wondered if Rybakina would ever become a real threat at majors again.
“I always believed I could get back to the level I was at,” she said. “Of course we all have ups and downs. As I think for everyone. I thought maybe I will never be in the final again or even win a trophy, but it’s all about work.
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“I think we did a lot of work with the team, and they were also very supportive – in moments where I was maybe not so positive, they helped me at the same time.”
She has now won 20 of her last 21 matches. In her last matches against Top 10 players, she is 10-0.
“Of course, when you’re looking for a few wins, big wins against the best players,” she said. “Then you start to believe more, you become more confident.”
And then there’s the timing.
“I’m just very proud of the work we’ve done with the team and the fact that I found my best form here at the Grand Slam,” said Rybakina, who was born in Moscow but plays for Kazakhstan. “It’s a victory for the whole team, for all the people who support me.”
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What’s next
Her run for the 2022 Wimbledon title was memorable for her discretion in the land of lawn tennis, where she was finally able to shed a few tears during the champion’s press conference. “You wanted emotion!” she said at the time.
On Saturday night, she raised a glass when the tournament director made a toast at her official champion’s press conference. She smiled and took a small sip.
On Sunday morning, wearing a long, elegant red dress and her hair down, she again held the trophy and smiled for the cameras on a grassy bank of the Yarra River. Then she prepared for her next flight.
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AP Tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
