{"id":448794,"date":"2026-01-31T04:15:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-31T04:15:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/448794\/"},"modified":"2026-01-31T04:15:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-31T04:15:09","slug":"sabalenkas-form-and-firepower-looms-large-in-ao-womens-final","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/448794\/","title":{"rendered":"Sabalenka’s form and firepower looms large in AO women’s final"},"content":{"rendered":"

It feels implausible now, but when Aryna Sabalenka<\/a> and Elena Rybakina<\/a> emerged from the Wall of Champions and stepped on to Rod Laver Arena for the final of the Australian Open 2023, it was Rybakina who boasted the superior Grand Slam pedigree.<\/p>\n

Rybakina had already etched her name into tennis history as the reigning Wimbledon champion, while Sabalenka was still chasing her first major, her explosive talent yet to be fully realised on the sport\u2019s biggest stage.<\/p>\n

A fair bit has changed since.<\/p>\n

Sabalenka has been in imperious touch all fortnight at Melbourne Park, charging into the eighth final from her past 12 Slams courtesy of a 6-2 6-3 semifinal trouncing of 12th-seeded Ukrainian Elina Svitolina<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The world No.1 joined Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Martina Hingis as the only women to make four straight AO finals.<\/p>\n

1999\/2000 – Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina will be the first pair to meet in the final at the WTA Finals and at the following year\u2019s final at the Australian Open, since Martina Hingis and Lindsay Davenport (1999-2000). End\/Start.#AusOpen<\/a> | @AustralianOpen<\/a> @WTA<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 OptaAce (@OptaAce) January 29, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Should she add another chapter to her growing legend on Saturday, Sabalenka would draw level with nine other greats \u2014 including Maria Sharapova and Hingis \u2014 with five majors.<\/p>\n

Her career-turning surge was set in motion on that night here three years ago when she rallied from a set down to defeat Rybakina and receive the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup from Billie Jean King.<\/p>\n

Not that Sabalenka believes that watershed moment in 2023 will count for anything this time around.<\/p>\n

“Yeah, that was my very first one,” she said. “I think I’m not going to look (back) on that final, because me and her, we both are different players.<\/p>\n

“We went through different things. We’re much stronger, mental and physically, and we’re playing better tennis now. So I will approach this as [a] completely different match, and we have [a] long history after that final. I’ll approach this match as the very first one, and I will do my very best.”<\/p>\n