MELBOURNE, Australia (AFP) — Elena Rybakina stifled her emotions to take revenge over world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and win the Australian Open (AO) on Saturday for her second Grand Slam title.
The big-serving Kazakh fifth seed held her nerve to pull through 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne in two hours and 18 minutes.
It was payback after the Belarusian Sabalenka won the 2023 final between two of the hardest hitters in women’s tennis.