After becoming Grand Slam champion at Wimbledon in 2022, Rybakina also reached her first Australian Open final six months later. The world number 5 won the opening set of the final before Sabalenka staged a three-set comeback.
In January 2024, Rybakina stormed through the Brisbane International, winning the title without losing a set in five matches played. The 26-year-old particularly impressed in the final, where she defeated Sabalenka 6-0, 6-3. But then the Kazakh suffered an injury in a quarter-final defeat to Adelaide before seeing her Australian Open campaign end with a shock second-round loss to Anna Blinkova.
Heading into 2026, Rybakina has won her last eleven completed matches. And she’s also collecting her first WTA Finals title.
Stubbs: Look forward to Rybakina in Australia
“Rybakina has had an up and down year, but I think we can expect to see her in Australia,” Stubbs said of her. podcast.
“She smoked Sabalenka a few years ago in Brisbane and then came down and decided to play Adelaide and readjust a bit of an Achilles problem and lost in an epic tiebreak to Blinkova a few years ago. I think she should have won the Australian Open then after what she did with Sabalenka the week before, but she’ll be there knocking on the door. And no player wants to play her. No player.
“She doesn’t have many weaknesses and a huge serve. She probably has the biggest and best serve in women’s tennis. One of the best backhands I’ve ever seen. So she will definitely be in the mix at the Australian Open.”
This year, Rybakina did not do particularly well at the Australian Open, as she was defeated by Madison Keys in the round of 16. However, it should be noted that she went through a turbulent period, as the WTA did not allow Stefano Vukov to return to her team, and there were also reports that Goran Ivanisevic wanted to leave her – which eventually happened.
#ExSlam #Champion #Elena #Rybakina #Smokes #Aryna #Sabalenka #Issues #Warning