Sun, Jan 29, 2023 page7

• Sabalenka in tears after Melbourne win

  TOE-TO-TOE: The Australian Open final between two of the biggest hitters in the women’s game was close, but Sabalenka hit 51 winners and 17 aces to beat Rybakina

  • AFP, MELBOURNE
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  An emotional Aryna Sabalenka yesterday battled back from a set down to beat Elena Rybakina and win the Australian Open and her first Grand Slam title.

  The hard-hitting Belarusian collapsed to the court in tears after winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 against the Wimbledon champion in a 2 hour, 28 minute arm-wrestle at Rod Laver Arena.

  Twenty-four-year-old Sabalenka wiped away tears before getting a warm hug from Moscow-born Rybakina, who played a full part in a thrilling match between two of the most powerful hitters in the women’s game.

  

  Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka returns to Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina during the Australian Open women’s singles final in Melbourne yesterday.

  Photo: AP

  Sabalenka, the fifth seed, then ran to her player’s box to celebrate with her team.

  “Thank you, my team, the craziest team on the tour. We’ve been through a lot of I would say downs last year,” she said after receiving the trophy. “Thank you so much for what you are doing for me. I love you guys.”

  “I want to congratulate Elena for an incredible two weeks. You’re such a great player and of course we are going to have many more battles, hopefully in finals of the Grand Slams,” Sabalenka added.

  It was a fitting finale to two weeks of drama at Melbourne Park, highlighted by brutal groundstrokes, precision serving and wonderful rallies from two players at the top of their game.

  Rybakina cruised through the first set in 34 minutes, but Sabalenka scrapped her way back in a 57-minute second set to take it to a nervy decider.

  It was then a case of which of the big servers would blink first in a toe-to-toe battle.

  At 3-3 Rybakina — who represents Kazakhstan — could not find enough first serves, and although she saved two break points, a third was too much and Sabalenka had the finish line in sight.

  An ace took her to 5-3 and Rybakina held to force Sabalenka to test her nerves and serve for the championship.

  She was up to the challenge, but needed four nerve-shredding match points after a display where she hit an astonishing 51 winners and 17 aces to edge past the big-serving Rybakina.

  Sabalenka is to rise to second in the world, equaling her career high.

  Rybakina has the consolation of breaking into the top 10 for the first time, after reaching her second Grand Slam final in seven months. She was awarded no ranking points for her Wimbledon win because of the ban on Russian and Belarusian players there.

  “I would like to congratulate Aryna. I know how hard you have worked for that,” Rybakina said.

  “I had goosebumps when everyone was cheering for us. I’m looking forward to coming back next year. It was an amazing two weeks for me and hopefully I’m going to have the same results and even better,” she said.

  Both players broke new ground in Melbourne this year.

  Rybakina’s previous Australian Open best was a third-round appearance in 2020, while Sabalenka had exited in the fourth round in 2021 and last year.

  Additional reporting by Reuters
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