Australian Open 2026: Elena Rybakina sweeps past Jessica Pegula to set up final with Aryna Sabalenka

Elena Rybakina is back in a Grand Slam final.

The Kazakhstani player triumphed in her Australian Open semi-final against Jessica Pegula, sealing her spot in the championship match with a 6-3, 7-6(7) win on Thursday (29 January).

After claiming the year-end WTA Finals title at the end of the 2025 season, Rybakina moves into her first final at Melbourne Park since 2023 and is a match away from a first major title in four years.

Standing in the 2022 Wimbledon champion’s way is world No. 1 and two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, who outclassed Elina Svitolina to reach a fourth final in a row in Melbourne.

“I think we’ll keep the routine,” Rybakina said on-court of how she will prepare for the final. “I’m going to come here tomorrow, just practise a little bit, of course work with the physio… And actually to switch [off] my mind a little bit, I will go to the city [and do] a little bit of shopping: who knows?”

Since finding her form towards the final stretch of last year, Rybakina has been back to her very best in pursuit of a second Grand Slam trophy. She has a chance to do so against the player she beat just two months ago in the WTA Finals.

AO 2026: Aryna Sabalenka powers into fourth straight final after beating Elina Svitolina

2026 Australian Open – Rybakina roars into the final with a chance for revenge

Rybakina’s resurgence has been one of the standout stories in women’s tennis, and now she could mark that journey with a first victory at Melbourne Park. She was beaten in the 2023 final by Sabalenka in a three-set thriller, losing 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Kazakhstan’s fifth seed will go into this year’s final with an 8-1 record in 2026 and without dropping a single set at the Australian Open. Along with the aim of the title, victory on Saturday (31 January) would return her to a career-high of world No. 3.

For Pegula, the United States’ last remaining singles player, it is a tough end to her best Melbourne Park run yet. The 31-year-old’s wait for a maiden career major will go on, though there is no doubt that she can compete at the top across the other Slams.

The first set was all Rybakina, winning 78 per cent of points on her serve and controlling affairs with her pin-point accurate forehand. Despite an all-round dominant display, the 26-year-old found herself unsettled towards the end and almost leading to a third set with three game breaks while trying to clinch the win.

Rybakina created three match points on Pegula’s serve at the conclusion of a thrilling night on Rod Laver Arena, but the USA star served smartly to hold. The sixth seed was not going down without a fight and managed to break back and force a tiebreak.

It looked as if world No. 6 Pegula had the momentum when her third break point created a set point. Rybakina broke right back to quash her opponent’s momentum, finally seeing out the match with a return winner to stamp her ticket to the final.

Click here to read article