&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Australian Open 2026: Rybakina sweeps past Pegula in straight sets, to face Sabalenka in repeat of 2023 final")
Elena Rybakina will have another date with destiny as she reached her second Australian Open women’s singles final on Thursday (Jan 29). Playing at the Rod Laver Arena, Rybakina outclassed Jessica Pegula 6-3, 7-6 and won the contest in less than two hours. Rybakina’s win also means she will face Aryna Sabalenka for the title, in what will be a repeat of the 2023 Australian Open women’s singles final, when the Kazakh star suffered a defeat.
Rybakina sees off Pegula
Rybakina, a former Wimbledon champion, was at her best in the opening set, having dropped only three games. However, it was the second set where both players gave their best shots as it went to the tiebreaker. Rybakina served an astonishing six aces in the match and won 73 per cent of her first serves. She broke her opponent four times during the match while giving away just four break points.
"It was such a battle. It was an epic second set. I'm really glad I managed to win it," she said.
"I'm really proud that no matter the situation, I was leading, and then, of course, it was very tight, I still stayed there. I was fighting for each point and just happy.
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"Overall, it's a lot of positives to take."
Moscow-born Rybakina, who defeated second seed Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals, is trying to get back on the Grand Slam title board for the first time in three-and-a-half years after winning Wimbledon in 2022. She has been in sizzling recent form, beating Sabalenka to win the WTA Finals in Riyadh in November and winning 19 of her last 20 matches.
Sabalenka has an 8-6 advantage in head-to-head meetings with Rybakina, the pair splitting their four meetings last year.
(With Inputs from Agencies)
