Elena Rybakina held her nerve in a dramatic women’s singles semifinal at the 2026 Australian Open, narrowly defeating Jessica Pegula 6-3, 7-6(7) on Thursday night to secure her place in the championship match against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
Rybakina, the fifth seed and 2022 Wimbledon champion, used her powerful serve and aggressive groundstrokes to take control early, racing to a 3-0 lead and eventually capturing the opening set 6-3.
Her heavy hitting and precision helped her more than double Pegula’s winner count throughout the match.
However, Pegula refused to go quietly. The American rallied in the second set, breaking Rybakina twice and pushing the contest into a tense tiebreak.
Despite Rybakina holding match points earlier and Pegula saving several of them, the Kazakh star maintained her focus under pressure.
After a dramatic tie-break that saw Pegula hold set points of her own, Rybakina closed it out with a clutch backhand return down the line to seal the victory after one hour and 40 minutes of intense action.
“I’m really glad I managed to win it,” Rybakina said courtside.
“Jessica played incredibly well in the second set and fought to the end.
It was an epic battle.”
Rematch of the 2023 Final
Rybakina’s win sets up a blockbuster final against Sabalenka on Saturday — a reprise of the 2023 Australian Open title clash.
In that showdown, Sabalenka came back from a set down to win her maiden Melbourne Grand Slam crown.
For Sabalenka, the semifinal was straightforward compared to Rybakina’s thriller.
The world No. 1 powered past Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-3 earlier in the day to advance to her fourth consecutive Australian Open final, a feat not seen in women’s tennis since Martina Hingis in 2002.
Both finalists enter Saturday’s championship match in strong form, with Rybakina yet to drop a set during the tournament and Sabalenka riding a lengthy winning streak at Melbourne Park.
Their rivalry — marked by powerful baseline play and big serves — promises a compelling battle for the title.
What’s Next
The final will be more than just a rematch; it’s a chance for Rybakina to avenge her 2023 loss and claim her second Grand Slam title, while Sabalenka will be aiming to add another Grand Slam trophy and solidify her dominance at the Australian Open.
Fans can expect high-octane tennis when these two heavy hitters collide under the Melbourne lights, in what could be one of the most memorable finals in recent Australian Open history.
