Elena Rybakina Advances to Australian Open Final, Defeats Pegula

Elena Rybakina has secured her place in the final of the Australian Open by defeating Jessica Pegula in an intense semifinal match held in Melbourne. The fifth seed triumphed over the sixth seed with a score of 6-3, 7-6 (7), in a contest that saw significant momentum swings.

Rybakina initially seemed poised to win comfortably but faced a tense finish after missing three match points while serving for the match. Pegula capitalised on this lapse, breaking Rybakina's serve twice, leading to a nail-biting tiebreak. Despite having two set points in the tiebreak, Pegula could not convert, allowing Rybakina to seal her victory almost half an hour after her initial match point.

After the match, Rybakina described the experience as "really, really stressful," drawing on memories of her previous Australian Open performance in 2024, where she suffered a loss in an exceptionally long tiebreak against Anna Blinkova. "I'm proud no matter the situation. It got very tight. I stayed there," she remarked, emphasising her determination to fight for each point.

Pegula reflected on the match, indicating that facing potential defeat led to a more focused approach. "Sometimes when you're on the brink of losing everything, you get a little clarity because you're kind of just like, 'Screw it, I'm just going to try and stay in this,'" she shared. She pointed out that Rybakina's errors provided her with some opportunities to relieve pressure during critical moments of the match.

Rybakina will now face the top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in the final. Sabalenka's path to the championship match included a decisive victory over Elina Svitolina, winning 6-2, 6-3. This final will mark a rematch of the 2023 Australian Open final, where Sabalenka claimed victory in a closely contested match, coming back from a set down to win.

Reflecting on the previous encounter with Sabalenka, Rybakina remarked, "It was a great battle. In the end, she played a bit better and it was well-deserved. I want to enjoy the final, and hopefully I can serve better than today." Rybakina is coming off a win against Sabalenka in the WTA Finals last November, where she earned a record prize money of $5.2 million.

"I could take only positive from that week," she added, demonstrating her resilience and forward-thinking mindset as she approaches the final. The match is expected to be highly competitive, given the talents of both players, each seeking to add another Grand Slam title to their collection.