At the Australian Open, the 24-year-old Belarusian player Aryna Sabalenka stormed to victory over Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in a riveting two-and-a-half-hour match that spanned three sets, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. As this year’s women’s singles champion in Melbourne, Sabalenka will be taking home her first Grand Slam title, capping an extraordinary start to 2023 after winning her first 11 matches of the season and already receiving two titles within the first month of the year.
While this year’s women’s singles race felt wide open after a number of favorites were knocked out in earlier rounds, both Sabalenka and Rybakina proved their right to be in the final with their intense focus, athleticism, and of course, their breathtakingly powerful serves and groundstrokes. Rybakina, who took home her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon last year, kicked off the match explosively, dropping just six service points in the opening set. But from the beginning of the second set onwards, the battle between the two players—which was as much a test of Sabalenka’s psychological mettle as it was of both their volcanic power—began to turn, with Sabalenka settling in and breaking serve for a 3-1 lead.
Many commentators described Sabalenka’s trajectory throughout the match as a kind of metaphor for her career as a whole. Immediately demonstrating her jaw-dropping force—but also some inconsistency in her ability to balance that power with precision—she eventually gained the composure and control needed to overcome Rybakina in a thrilling final set that saw Rybakina, to her credit, never falter. After three missed championship points by Sabalenka, a final forehand error from Rybakina sealed the deal, with Sabalenka falling to the ground in elation.
“Thank you everyone, and thanks guys for an amazing atmosphere,” Sabalenka said to the crowd as she collected her prize, the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup. “It was an enjoyable tournament to play in. Thanks to my team, they are the craziest team on the tour. We have been through a lot of downs last year. You guys deserve this trophy more than me. I hope next year I come back even stronger and I will show you even better tennis.”
With her victory today, Sabalenka has now risen to world number two in the WTA rankings, second only to Iga Swiatek, who was defeated by Rybakina in a surprise result during the fourth round last weekend. With her impressive winning streak so far this year, Sabalenka’s current status as one of the brightest young stars of women’s tennis will be all but incontestable—and if she’s able to keep up the momentum and continue to prove her mastery over the powerful forehand that is her calling card, the sky is the limit.
(Vogue Daily)
