MELBOURNE: Fire meets fire when hard-hitting Aryna Sabalenka clashes with big-serving Elena Rybakina in the women’s Australian Open final on Saturday.
The showdown pits two players who are on rampaging form and yet to drop a set in Melbourne in the past fortnight.
They know each other very well, having met 14 times previously, and it is a rematch of the 2023 title decider at Rod Laver Arena.
The Belarusian Sabalenka prevailed on that occasion, fighting back from a set down to win her first Grand Slam crown.
The world number one won it again in 2024, but was denied a hat-trick last year when she was stunned in the final by the American Madison Keys.
The meeting with the Kazakh Rybakina will be her fourth Melbourne final in a row, and she is expecting an almighty tussle.
“Her shots are heavy, deep, flat balls. It’s not easy to work with, but we have a great history,” said the 27-year-old, who defeated Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina in the semifinals.
“She’s an incredible player,” she added of the Moscow-born Rybakina, whose only major title so far is Wimbledon in 2022.
“We had a lot of great battles, a lot of finals we played.
“I’m looking forward to battling this power,” the top seed added with a smile.
Sabalenka goes into the final in scintillating form, having won all of her 11 matches in 2026 without dropping a set.
She lifted the Brisbane title before coming to Melbourne and is also the reigning US Open champion, underlining her prowess on hard courts.
After being well beaten on Thursday, Svitolina said that Sabalenka was “on fire.”
“She feels very comfortable here on these courts,” she added.
“Of course she won here a couple of times, so I think she has this confidence playing here.”
‘Fight till the end’
Sabalenka will be favorite, but recent history actually favors the 26-year-old Rybakina.
While Sabalenka leads their head-to-head record 8-6, Rybakina won the last time they met, in the decider at the WTA Finals in November in Saudi Arabia, in straight sets.
Rybakina is also on a terrific run of form of her own.
She lost in the quarter-finals in Brisbane, but that is her only defeat in 14 matches.
She has been quietly impressive in Melbourne, her victims including world number two Iga Swiatek and world number six Jessica Pegula.
Pegula gave an insight into what it is like facing the Kazakh, who she labelled “cool as a cucumber.”
“She’s always just tough. You know, she’s so chill. She doesn’t really give you anything,” said the American after going down 6-3, 7-6 (9/7) in the semifinals.
“You’re not really sure if she’s upset or if she’s excited or what it is.
“I think in today’s game that goes a long way.”
And then there’s Rybakina’s serve, the biggest in women’s tennis.
She has sent down 41 aces at the tournament, easily more than anyone else in the women’s draw.
Reflecting on their 2023 Australian final, Rybakina said both she and Sabalenka had improved and changed as players since.
But one thing remains the same — their power.
“Since we are both very aggressive players, serve is important,” said Rybakina.
She added: “Hopefully the serve is going to help me on Saturday, but even if it’s not, I’m going to still try to find my way.
“(I will) fight till the end, and hopefully this time it’s going to go my way.”
Power battle as Sabalenka clashes with Rybakina for Australian Open title
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Power battle as Sabalenka clashes with Rybakina for Australian Open title
- Showdown pits two players who are on rampaging form and yet to drop a set in Melbourne in the past fortnight
Neto treble fires Chelsea’s FA Cup rout of Hull
- It was an emotional evening for Blues boss Rosenior
KINGSTON UPON HULL: Chelsea eased into the FA Cup fifth round as Pedro Neto’s hat-trick inspired a 4-0 win at Hull on Liam Rosenior’s return to the club that sacked him two years ago.
Rosenior’s side took the lead through Neto’s superb first-half strike before the Portugal forward netted again after the break.
Estevao Willian scored Chelsea’s third and Neto completed his treble to wrap up the fourth round rout at the MKM Stadium.
It was an emotional evening for Blues boss Rosenior as he faced the club that ruthlessly severed their long relationship with him in 2024.
Rosenior supported Hull as a child alongside his season-ticket holding grandmother, played for the club across five years and managed them for two seasons.
He was sacked after narrowly failing to reach the Championship play-offs amid criticism of his team’s conservative tactics.
Despite the painful end to his time at Hull, the 41-year-old said it was an “amazing thing” to return to Humberside and he took full advantage of the chance to show his old club what they had missed out on.
“This club means a lot not just to me but also my family for many reasons,” Rosenior said.
“I do hope they make the Premier League this year, but because of our attitude and application, that is what gave us the platform to win tonight.”
Rosenior has made an impressive start at Chelsea since arriving from Strasbourg to replace Enzo Maresca in January, winning eight out of his first 11 matches in all competitions.
He made seven changes, with Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez and Joao Pedro among those to miss out, but Chelsea were still too strong for the Championship promotion chasers.
“Pedro Neto has been outstanding, he works so hard and has so much quality. I’m delighted to see him get the goals,” Rosenior said.
“The most pleasing aspect was the mentality. It was a really strong performance in terms of the mental application you need to be successful. Everyone worked really hard for each other.”
Chelsea dominated possession to such an extent that it was little surprise when they finally made the breakthrough in the 40th minute.
Liam Delap teed up Neto and he whipped a superb finish into the corner from 20 yards.
Andrey Santos’ towering header was pushed over by Dillon Phillips after the interval and, from the resulting corner, Chelsea doubled their lead in the 51st minute.
Neto’s inswinger caught Phillips flat-footed at the near post, bouncing through his legs without a touch from either team.
Chelsea had blown a two-goal advantage in their 2-2 draw with Leeds in the Premier League on Tuesday.
But there was no chance of a repeat and Estevao grabbed their third with a composed finish from 12 yards in the 59th minute.
Neto made it four in the 71st minute, caressing a low finish past Phillips from Delap’s lay-off.
Wrexham beat fellow Championship side Ipswich 1-0 in Friday’s other fourth round tie.
The Welsh club, owned by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac, are into the last 16 for the first time since 1996-97.
