The match to read in the ticker:
4:6, 6:4, 4:6 – There it is! Jelena Rybakina is Australian Open winner for the first time! She wobbles at the start of this last point – also because Sabalenka is now smashing every return at her with full force. But then she stays stable in her position, doesn’t allow herself to be lured, opens the game early – and scores with a forehand longline. Then another forehand. But Sabalenka fights back and counters with a longline of her own. However, Rybakina is undeterred – and completes her triumph with an ace. In the end it was a deserved win for the Kazakh, who had a much better start to the game, didn’t let the favored Sabalenka get to her game and was even able to turn around a 0-3 deficit in the deciding set. Meanwhile, Sabalenka, who has now lost the Melbourne final for the second time in a row, has to ask herself why she couldn’t close out the deciding set after her comeback in the second set.
4:6, 6:4, 4:5 – And it shortens it again to 4:5. Now Jelena Rybakina can win her first title in Melbourne.
4:6, 6:4, 3:5 – Already played by Sabalenka, perhaps that will give her more confidence again: With a stop, she prepares a ball that she passes past Rybakina. But the Kazakh is not impressed: with a backhand she makes it 30:15. Then Sabalenka is unlucky again, her return ends up just out of bounds. With a serve winner, Rybakina takes the score 5:3. Now Sabalenka is serving against the final defeat.
4:6, 6:4, 3:4 – Now Sabalenka is suddenly struggling again. She realizes: Rybakina has overcome her lows. Then Sabalenka is not in a good position and can only play the Kazakh return out of bounds. She complains again. In the next rally, she gets stuck in the net with a backhand – and Rybakina has two break points. She fends off the first one with a serve winner. And then she gives her opponent the break – because she thunders a simple forehand into the net.
4:6, 6:4, 3:3 – This is a roller coaster ride! Rybakina now seems to have her security back. A serve winner at 30:15, neither of them are giving each other anything away. Sabalenka counters with a backhand, then Rybakina lands a backhand out of bounds. But Sabalenka also lacks length in the next rally. Tie. With a strong serve, the Kazakh woman forces her opponent’s next mistake. And brings their service through with another winner. Balance.
